| Atharv | Pranav | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Knowledge; the Atharvaveda | The sacred syllable Om |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | uh-THARV | PRUH-nav |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 2000 | 1977 |
| Peak year | 2024 (224) | 2004 (236) |
| In 2025 | 187 | 56 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Atharv | Pranav |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,277 | 398 |
| 2010s | 950 | 1,426 |
| 2000s | 158 | 2,010 |
| 1990s | 0 | 358 |
| 1980s | 0 | 28 |
| 1970s | 0 | 5 |
From Sanskrit atharvan (अथर्वन्), the name of the Atharvaveda and of the ancient sage traditionally said to be the first priest of fire. Commonly taken to mean 'knowledge' or evokes the Vedic fire-priest.
From Sanskrit pranava (प्रणव), the term for the sacred syllable 'Om', regarded as the primordial sound. A spiritually weighted name meaning the mystic syllable itself.
Atharv is more popular than Pranav today: about 187 US babies were given the name Atharv in 2025, compared with 56 named Pranav.
Atharv means Knowledge; the Atharvaveda (sanskrit origin), while Pranav means The sacred syllable Om (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Atharv first appears in 2000 and Pranav in 1977, so Pranav has the longer recorded history.