Ankur
Borrowed from Sanskrit अङ्कुर (aṅkura, “bud, sprout”).
Every Ankur since 1974 — 668 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ankur
Ankur is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1974, 668 American babies have been named Ankur. Its peak came in 1981, when 40 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ankur stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ankur year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | 5 | #12,315 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | 6 | #10,896 |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | 8 | #9,041 |
| 2008 | 9 | #8,360 |
| 2007 | 5 | #12,483 |
| 2006 | 9 | #8,039 |
| 2005 | 6 | #10,211 |
| 2004 | 5 | #11,464 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6,753 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7,079 |
| 2001 | 8 | #7,566 |
| 2000 | 8 | #7,471 |
| 1995 | 17 | #3,704 |
| 1990 | 24 | #2,701 |
| 1985 | 27 | #2,073 |
| 1980 | 33 | #1,730 |
| 1975 | 9 | #3,671 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ankur mean?
Borrowed from Sanskrit अङ्कुर (aṅkura, “bud, sprout”).
How popular is the name Ankur in 2025?
Ankur did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Ankur?
668 babies have been named Ankur in the United States since 1974, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ankur most popular?
Ankur peaked in 1981, when 40 newborns received the name.
Is Ankur a boy or girl name?
Ankur is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ankur rising or falling?
Ankur has been roughly stable over the past decade.