Deepa

A girl's name of Sanskrit origin with 480 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's nameRare nameNot ranked recently

Meaning & Origin

A female given name from South Asia.

Deepa is a girl's baby name of Sanskrit origin, meaning 'lamp' or 'light,' from Sanskrit dīpa. Light is one of the most universal symbols of knowledge, divinity, and hope across Indian religious traditions — from the festival of Diwali (Festival of Lights) to the lamps that illuminate temple sanctuaries.

Deepa is widely used across India and in South Asian diaspora communities worldwide. Its meaning — the giving of light — makes it a name of profound warmth and spiritual significance, given to a daughter with the hope that she will illuminate the world around her.

EtymologyShow more

Deepa is cataloged under the Sanskrit naming tradition. Names from the Sanskrit tradition carry linguistic and cultural patterns that shape their sound, structure, and associations.

In the U.S., Deepa has been recorded as a girl's name since 1968, with 480 total births. Browse the Sanskrit names hub on this site to explore the broader family.

At a Glance

480

Total births

Since 1968

1981

Peak

27 births

1968

First recorded

47 years of data

Compare Deepa with another name

Popularity Over Time

Deepa has 35+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1968.

First appeared: 1968Peak: 1981 (27 births)

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Deepa
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2010s	6	#15054	▼
2000s	43	#11593	▼
1990s	129	#7393	▼
1980s	186	#4441	▲
1970s	111	#4982	▲
1960s	5	#7247	—

The Story of Deepa

A Millennial name

Peaking in 1981, Deepa is a Millennial-era classic. Girls named Deepa are most likely born between 1971 and 1991.

How rare is Deepa?

With fewer than 500 recorded births, Deepa is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1968, peaked in the 1980s with 186 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Deepa by the numbers

Would fill 10 school buses
Meeting one Deepa per day would take 1.3 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(35 years, 1968–2014)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Deepa
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2014	6	#15054	0
2006	6	#15618	-1 (-14.3%)
2004	7	#13106	-1 (-12.5%)
2003	8	#11580	-4 (-33.3%)
2001	12	#8325	+2 (20.0%)
2000	10	#9335	+2 (25.0%)
1999	8	#10602	0
1998	8	#10353	-4 (-33.3%)
1997	12	#7394	+2 (20.0%)
1996	10	#8315	-3 (-23.1%)
1995	13	#6739	-4 (-23.5%)
1994	17	#5511	+6 (54.5%)
1993	11	#7631	-12 (-52.2%)
1992	23	#4409	+11 (91.7%)
1991	12	#7072	-3 (-20.0%)
1990	15	#5901	+1 (7.1%)
1989	14	#5903	0
1988	14	#5670	-3 (-17.6%)
1987	17	#4711	0
1986	17	#4586	+2 (13.3%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Deepa a boy's or girl's name?

Deepa is primarily a girl's name.

When was Deepa most popular?

Deepa reached its peak popularity in 1981 with 27 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Deepa?

Deepa is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 480 babies in the U.S. since 1968. Its peak was in 1981.

Explore More

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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1968–2014