Given name & surname · also Hebrew
Ram
“a superior man”·“one who is pleasing”
Ram is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a superior man” and “one who is pleasing”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original Hebrewרם
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a superior man” and “one who is pleasing”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Hebrew and Sanskrit naming traditions.
How it developed
Ram is used as a variant of Rama.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1970. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Ram appears in Job 32:2, Matthew 1:3, 1 Chronicles 2:25.
- Job 32:2
- Matthew 1:3
- 1 Chronicles 2:25
From biblical name research
Ram through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,123
- 1,123 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 69 babies
- 2025
- 49
- #2,671 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +41%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 49 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,671 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 41.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (10). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,850 as a first name in 2020; 4,896 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ram’s family of names
Ram has a related form in Rama. Ram has a related form in Rama. Ram has a related form in Rahma.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Ramiequivalent
- Aramequivalent
- Ramyequivalent
- Avramequivalent
- Remequivalent
- Ramoequivalent
- Rameshequivalent
- Ramieequivalent
Show 1 moreShow fewer
See also 35
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Jeremiahshares a root
- Romeshares a root
- Ariesalso known as · English
- Abramshares a root
- Armonishares a root
- Hiramshares a root
- Ramahshares a root
- Amramshares a root
Show 27 moreShow fewer
- Joramshares a root
- Adoniramshares a root
- Jeremaishares a root
- Arnishares a root
- Jorimshares a root
- Abiramshares a root
- Remmonshares a root
- Jerimothshares a root
- Meremothshares a root
- Ramnarayansee also
- Tabrimmonshares a root
- Rumahshares a root
- Romamti-ezershares a root
- Rimmonshares a root
- Reumahshares a root
- Rephanshares a root
- Ramothshares a root
- Meromshares a root
- Malchiramshares a root
- Jehoramshares a root
- Jarmuthshares a root
- Huram-abishares a root
- Hadoramshares a root
- Gath-rimmonshares a root
- Armageddonshares a root
- Arimatheashares a root
- Ahiramshares a root
People named Ram
- Ram Nath KovindPresident of India from 2017 to 2022born 1945
- Ram NarayanIndian classical sarangi player (1927–2024)
- Raja Ram Mohan RoyIndian religious, social, and educational reformer, and humanitarian1772–1833
- Ram Baran Yadavformer President of Nepalborn 1948
- Ram Chandra PaudelPresident of Nepal since 2023born 1944
- Ram CharanIndian actor (born 1985)
- Guru Ram DasThe fourth Guru of Sikhism1534–1581
- RamkhamhaengRoi de Sukhothai1239–1298
- Ram Gopal VarmaIndian film director, screenwriter and producerborn 1962
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ram, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Vedant
Vedant is a masculine given name from Sanskrit.
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