| Nakul | Nirav | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Mongoose; a Pandava | Silent, calm, quiet |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | NUH-kul | NEE-ruhv |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2004 (15) | 1984 (21) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Nakul | Nirav |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 20 | 48 |
| 2010s | 45 | 120 |
| 2000s | 93 | 63 |
| 1990s | 42 | 63 |
| 1980s | 5 | 158 |
| 1970s | 0 | 94 |
From Sanskrit nakula (नकुल), literally 'mongoose'. Best known as the fourth Pandava brother, twin of Sahadeva, in the Mahabharata, renowned for his beauty and skill with horses.
From the Sanskrit निरव (nirava), 'soundless, still', formed from nir- ('without') + rava ('sound, noise') — hence tranquil stillness. A genuine, if less common, classical formation.
Nakul and Nirav are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Nakul means Mongoose; a Pandava (sanskrit origin), while Nirav means Silent, calm, quiet (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Nakul first appears in 0 and Nirav in 0, so Nakul has the longer recorded history.