Ganesa is a name of Indian origin, derived from the Sanskrit word 'gana', which means 'group' or 'horde'. It is believed to have been the name given to Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity in Hindu mythology who is considered the remover of obstacles and the god of wisdom and intelligence.
The name Ganesa is said to have originated from a legend in which Parvati, the wife of Shiva, created a boy out of the turmeric paste used for her daily bath and breathed life into him. She asked him to guard the door while she bathed, but when Shiva returned home and did not recognize the boy, he beheaded him. Parvati was furious and created an army of ghosts and demons to avenge her son's death. To appease her, Shiva promised that anyone who invoked his son's name would be blessed with wisdom and good fortune.
From this legend emerged Ganesa as a revered deity in Hinduism, and the name Ganesa has since been associated with intelligence, wisdom, and good fortune. It is often given to children in the hope that they will grow up to possess these qualities. Today, Ganesa remains a popular name among Hindus around the world.
The statistics regarding the name Ganesa in the United States show a varied pattern over time. In 1977, there were 6 babies born with this name, indicating that it was not a very common choice at the time.
However, by 1981, the popularity of the name Ganesa seemed to have grown slightly, with 5 births recorded that year. This suggests that while still not widely used, the name was being chosen for more newborns than in previous years.
Interestingly, there is a gap of 26 years between the data from 1981 and the next available figure. In 2008, the name Ganesa made another appearance on the birth records, with another 5 births registered that year. This suggests that while the name may not have been continuously popular throughout these decades, there were periods where it was chosen for newborns.
In total, over these three years, there were 16 babies named Ganesa in the United States. While this number is relatively small compared to the overall birth rate in the country, it indicates that the name has had some level of popularity among parents during different time periods.