Fun Facts About the Name Pallavi
- 358 babies named Pallavi: U.S. records list 358 babies given the name Pallavi from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Pallavi Mean?
Pallavi is a feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "new leaves" or "tender shoots." It comes from the Sanskrit noun pallava, which denotes a sprout, young shoot, or fresh leaf, and the feminine form pallavī is used as the personal name. The botanical sense is literal rather than a later symbolic interpretation.
Pallavi Name History & Origins
The name is formed from a common Sanskrit noun rather than from a saint's name or a legendary figure. Sanskrit pallava means a sprout, young shoot, or fresh leaf, and the feminine pallavī supplied the given name. The word is old in Sanskrit and appears in classical poetry in descriptions of plants and spring growth. As a personal name, Pallavi is used in India and is written in regional scripts such as పల్లవి (Telugu), ಪಲ್ಲವಿ (Kannada), பல்லவி (Tamil), and പല്ലവി (Malayalam), alongside पल्लवी in Devanagari.
The same Sanskrit noun has a technical use in South Indian classical music. In a Carnatic composition, the pallavi is the opening line or refrain, and the term also refers to a structured concert piece built around such a line. This musical usage belongs to the vocabulary of the tradition; it is not evidence that the personal name began as a musical term.
How Popular is the Name Pallavi?
Pallavi has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1998. Its best rank was #4,595 in 1998.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | #17,804 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #15,766 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #15,940 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #18,869 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #11,280 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #16,960 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #11,428 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #9,758 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #6,185 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2004 | #7,310 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2003 | #5,202 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2002 | #6,960 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #5,510 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2000 | #5,108 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1999 | #6,129 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1998 | #4,595 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1997 | #7,613 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #8,657 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #7,929 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #9,384 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #5,378 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1992 | #10,194 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #7,812 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #8,334 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #8,541 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #10,050 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #9,508 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #8,858 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #7,915 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #11,402 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #10,935 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with P
How the Name Pallavi Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a power of expression, either in speaking or writing. You are in favor for studying and research. You are clever, clear-sighted and intellectual. You don't like to let others know your true feelings. You might be atheistic or agnostic. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Pallavi's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Pallavi's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.