| Nakul | Soma | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Mongoose; a Pandava | Moon |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | NUH-kul | SOH-mah |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2004 (15) | 2022 (14) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Nakul | Soma |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 20 | 60 |
| 2010s | 45 | 68 |
| 2000s | 93 | 16 |
| 1990s | 42 | 0 |
| 1980s | 5 | 0 |
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.
Soma is a common alternate name of the Hindu moon god Chandra. Note: in the earliest Vedic texts Soma referred chiefly to a ritual plant and its drink; the lunar sense developed in post-Vedic mythology, so the moon meaning is deity-derived rather than primary.
Nakul and Soma are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Nakul means Mongoose; a Pandava (sanskrit origin), while Soma means Moon (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Nakul first appears in 0 and Soma in 0, so Nakul has the longer recorded history.