| Pranav | Dhruv | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The sacred syllable Om | Pole star; constant, steadfast |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | PRUH-nav | DHROOV |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1977 | 1987 |
| Peak year | 2004 (236) | 2019 (210) |
| In 2025 | 56 | 195 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Pranav | Dhruv |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 398 | 1,153 |
| 2010s | 1,426 | 1,699 |
| 2000s | 2,010 | 1,335 |
| 1990s | 358 | 264 |
| 1980s | 28 | 23 |
| 1970s | 5 | 0 |
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.
From the Sanskrit ध्रुव (dhruva), 'fixed, firm, immovable, constant'; also the name of the Pole Star and of the boy-devotee Dhruva in the Puranas, who became the unwavering North Star.
Dhruv is more popular than Pranav today: about 195 US babies were given the name Dhruv in 2025, compared with 56 named Pranav.
Pranav means The sacred syllable Om (sanskrit origin), while Dhruv means Pole star; constant, steadfast (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Pranav first appears in 1977 and Dhruv in 1987, so Pranav has the longer recorded history.