Given name & surname · also Sanskrit
Vikram
Vikram is used as a given name and a surname. One Hindi interpretation is “one who keeps pace; in Hinduism, another name for the god Vishnu.”
Original Hindiविक्रम
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hindi interpretation is “one who keeps pace; in Hinduism, another name for the god Vishnu.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Sanskrit.
How it developed
The name draws on Sanskrit vikrama, meaning “stride, pace”.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1969. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Vikram through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,084
- 2,084 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2000
- 65 babies
- 2025
- 43
- #2,937 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +7%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 43 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,937 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 6.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 65 in 2000. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (11). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,452 as a first name in 2020; 378 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.
Vikram’s family of names
In English usage, Vikram has a diminutive in VIK. Vikram has a related form in Vickram. Vikram has a related form in Vicram.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Vikram
- Vikram SethIndian novelist and poetborn 1952
- Vikram Sarabhaifather of Indian space programme (1919–1971)
- Vikram BatraRecipient of Param Vir Chakra (1974–1999)
- Vikram BhattIndian film directorborn 1969
- Vik Sahayactorborn 1971
- Vikram ChandraIndian-American writer (born 1961)
- Vikram GokhaleIndian actor1945–2022
- Vikram KumarIndian film directorborn 1975
- Vikramjit SinghDutch cricketerborn 2003
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Vikram, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Vijay
“one who is victorious; the conquerer”
>99% boys
Varun
“the lord of the waters”
>99% boys
Vivek
“one who is judicious; filled with wisdom”
>99% boys
Jivan
“a giver of life”
>99% boys
Virat
“a supreme ruler”
>99% boys
Vivaan
“plaiting, twisting”
>99% boys
Darshan
“of a vision”
>99% boys
Gaurav
“a proud man”
>99% boys