NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Dhruva

Masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "steadfast" or "immovable".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Dhruva is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Dhruva popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3254, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 7 births.

This profile covers 55 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 86% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 55 living people in the UK are called Dhruva. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Dhruva ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2022, when 7 boys were registered as Dhruva.
  • About 55 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dhruva as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 90.2% of Dhruva registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3254

2024

Births in 2024

6

Latest year

Peak year

2022

7 births

Estimated living

55

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Dhruva

In England and Wales birth records, Dhruva has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 90.2% of registrations are for boys and 9.8% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

90% boys
Boys55 (90.2%)Girls6 (9.8%)

Dhruva registered for boys

  • Ranked #3,254 in 2024
  • 6 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2022 (7 births)

Dhruva registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,687 in 2023
  • 3 girls registered in 2023
  • Peak: 2007 (3 births)

Meaning

What does Dhruva mean?

The name Dhruva originates from Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that has been the root of many Indian languages. It is derived from the word 'Dhruva,' which means 'immovable,' 'fixed,' or 'constant.' The name is believed to have emerged from the Indian subcontinent during the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.

The name Dhruva finds its earliest mention in the Vishnu Purana, one of the principal Hindu scriptures. In this text, Dhruva is a devotee of Lord Vishnu and is granted an exalted position in the celestial realm as a result of his unwavering devotion and penance. The story of Dhruva is widely known and celebrated in Hindu mythology.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dhruva dates back to the 5th century BCE, when it was used by a prominent Indian astronomer and mathematician. Dhruva was a scholar who made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and is credited with determining the precession of the equinoxes, a phenomenon related to the gradual shift in the orientation of the Earth's rotational axis.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dhruva. One such figure was Dhruva Bhatta (c. 7th century CE), a renowned Indian philosopher and logician who made significant contributions to the study of Nyaya, one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Dhruva Narayan (1639-1719 CE), a Maratha military leader and statesman who played a crucial role in the expansion of the Maratha Empire in the 17th century. He served as a commander under Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire, and later became the regent of the empire during the reign of Shahu I.

In the realm of Indian literature, Dhruva Babu Thakur (1829-1889 CE) was a notable Bengali writer and social reformer. He is remembered for his contributions to the Bengali Renaissance and his efforts to promote education and social reform in Bengal.

Dhruva Charan Chattopadhyay (1837-1925 CE) was a Bengali philosopher, educator, and social reformer who advocated for women's education and played a significant role in the Bengal Renaissance movement.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Dhruva throughout history, reflecting its deep cultural and historical roots in the Indian subcontinent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Dhruva over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Dhruva in England and Wales, from 2006 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Dhruva, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
035810200620152024

Decades

Dhruva by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dhruva was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3229 29 5
2010s #4053 19 5
2000s #3870 7 2

Related

Names similar to Dhruva

FAQ

Dhruva: questions and answers

How popular is the name Dhruva in the UK right now?

In 2024, Dhruva was ranked #3254 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.

When was Dhruva most popular?

The peak year on record was 2022, with 7 babies registered as Dhruva in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Dhruva?

Masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "steadfast" or "immovable".

How many people are called Dhruva in the UK?

A total of 55 babies have been registered as Dhruva across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.