Fun Facts About the Name Kedar
- 558 babies named Kedar: U.S. records list 558 babies given the name Kedar from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kedar Mean?
Kedar has two separate origins that happen to look identical in English. The Hebrew name comes from the root q-d-r, "to be dark," and is usually understood to mean "dark" or "black." The exact sense behind it is not certain - it may point to dark skin, dark tents, or simply darkness - but the connection to the root for "dark" is the standard explanation.
The Indian name Kedar comes from Sanskrit kedāra, meaning "field" or "cultivated field." It is used as a name of the god Shiva, especially in the compound Kedarnath, "lord of the field," which names a major Shiva shrine in the Himalayas. The Hebrew and Sanskrit names are unrelated.
Kedar Name History & Origins
In the Hebrew Bible, Kedar (Qēdār) is listed in Genesis 25:13 as a son of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar. His descendants, also called Kedar, are described as tent-dwelling people of the northern Arabian desert, known for their flocks and their trade. Isaiah 21:16 - 17 and 60:7, Jeremiah 49:28 - 29, and Ezekiel 27:21 mention Kedar's herds and merchants, while Psalm 120:5 uses "the tents of Kedar" as a byword for a far-off and hostile place, and the Song of Songs 1:5 compares dark beauty to those same tents. Assyrian royal inscriptions of the 8th and 7th centuries BCE refer to the Qedarites among the Arab groups of the desert fringe, which matches the biblical picture.
The Arabic form of the same ancient name is Qaydar. In later Jewish and Christian writing the Kedarenes were often linked with Arabia and with Arab peoples, and Arabic genealogical tradition sometimes traces lineages back to Qaydar as a son of Ishmael.
The Indian name developed independently. It derives from Sanskrit kedāra, a field or arable land, and is applied to Shiva in his form at Kedarnath in the Garhwal Himalayas, one of the twelve jyotirlinga shrines. A traditional account says that after the Kurukshetra war the Pandava brothers sought Shiva, who took the form of a bull and left his hump behind at Kedarnath. The word also names Raga Kedar in Hindustani classical music. Kedar is used as a given name by Hindus, particularly in Maharashtra and other parts of western India.
How Popular is the Name Kedar?
Kedar 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 #2,579 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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,597 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #8,644 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #7,999 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #7,507 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #13,134 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #8,400 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #11,478 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #7,379 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #11,498 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #10,224 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #6,150 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #9,228 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #7,310 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #11,553 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #6,814 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #6,551 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #6,280 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #7,470 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #8,591 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #4,300 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #5,741 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2004 | #5,988 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #4,717 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #4,408 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #3,677 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2000 | #4,141 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #3,323 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1998 | #2,579 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1997 | #2,649 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1996 | #4,756 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #6,182 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #4,965 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #4,586 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #5,074 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #3,922 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #6,814 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #5,465 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #5,656 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #4,206 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #5,274 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #5,210 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #3,818 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #4,324 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #5,727 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #5,126 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,812 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #4,209 | 7 | 0.0004% |
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.
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How the Name Kedar Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Kedar's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kedar's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.