Fun Facts About the Name Manasa
- 283 babies named Manasa: U.S. records list 283 babies given the name Manasa from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Manasa Mean?
Manasa is a Sanskrit name meaning "of the mind" or "mental." It comes from the Sanskrit word manas, meaning "mind," with an adjectival ending to give mānasa, "belonging to the mind" or "produced by the mind." The same root can also carry the sense of "wish" or "desire," and in Indian philosophy manas is the term for the mind or the faculty of thought.
In Hindu tradition the name is best known as that of Manasa, the serpent goddess worshipped in Bengal and nearby regions. Devotional usage often explains her name as "she who dwells in the mind" or "the fulfiller of wishes," but these are religious interpretations of the same word rather than a separate etymology. The identical Sanskrit term names Lake Manasarovar (Mānasa Sarovara) near Mount Kailash, literally "lake of the mind."
Manasa Name History & Origins
Mānasa is used in classical Sanskrit writing for things relating to the mind, and the name entered wider use through the worship of Manasa, the snake goddess of eastern India. Her legends are preserved in the Manasamangal poems composed in Bengali from the medieval period onward. In these accounts she is a daughter of Shiva, or in some versions of the sage Kashyapa, and the sister of the serpent king Vasuki. She is honored for protection from snakebite and, secondarily, for fertility and prosperity.
Her worship centers on Bengal and also appears in parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, and Odisha, where observances such as the Manasa Vrata are held. As a given name, Manasa is used in India, particularly in Bengal and in southern states such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The name is distinct from the shorter male name Manas, though both draw on the same Sanskrit root for "mind."
How Popular is the Name Manasa?
Manasa 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 2006. Its best rank was #5,851 in 2000.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | #16,800 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #14,925 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #11,609 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #18,562 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #11,801 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #11,887 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #14,656 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #11,302 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #6,240 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2006 | #6,052 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2005 | #9,232 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #6,403 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #6,220 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #8,625 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #6,220 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #5,851 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #6,720 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1998 | #6,949 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #8,774 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #6,987 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #14,833 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #12,806 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #12,723 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #12,312 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #13,683 | 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 M
How the Name Manasa Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Manasa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Manasa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.