Deepa

♀ Girl

Pronounced DEE-puh /ˈdiː.pə/High

Meaning: Deepa is a Sanskrit name meaning 'lamp' or 'light', from deepa (dipa), the small oil lamp lit at the festival of Diwali and in daily worship. It is a common, warm girl's name across India and the South Asian diaspora, carrying the sense of radiance and the dispelling of darkness.Medium

In 30 seconds: Deepa is a Sanskrit girl's name meaning 'lamp' or 'light', tied to the Diwali lamp. Brought by South Asian families, it stayed rare in the United States, cresting near the early nineteen-eighties (said DEE-puh).

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumSanskrit

MeaningDeepa is a Sanskrit name meaning 'lamp' or 'light', from deepa (dipa), the small oil lamp lit at the festival of Diwali and in daily worship. It is a common, warm girl's name across India and the South Asian diaspora, carrying the sense of radiance and the dispelling of darkness.

U.S. rank (2014)#15054 ↗ Rising

2014 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1981

Total births (all-time)≈ 480

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Deepa is a classic Sanskrit name for the lamp and its light, long loved across India and brought to the United States by South Asian families in the later twentieth century. The word deepa names the lamps of Diwali, and the name reads as bright and auspicious. In America it stayed a heritage choice.

It appeared in small numbers, reaching a couple dozen girls a year around 1981 and remaining rare as South Asian communities grew. A girl named Deepa then is in her forties now.

Did you know? Deepa is the very word for the little oil lamp lit at Diwali, so the name carries the festival's idea of light overcoming darkness.

Overall data confidence 72%

References - Deepa — Sanskrit deepa/dipa, 'lamp, light'; South Asian heritage name

Variations

DipaDeepikaDeeptiDipali

Nicknames

DeeDeepu

Famous Bearers

★Deepa Mehta (b. 1950)
Indian-Canadian filmmaker known for internationally recognized films; a widely known bearer

If you like Deepa…

Priya— a familiar Sanskrit girl's name of similar feel

Meena— a like short Indian heritage name

Neela— another soft two-beat Indian name

Kripa— shares Deepa's Sanskrit roots

Shilpa— shares Deepa's Sanskrit roots

Explore names like Deepa

By themeheritage sanskrit indian

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Deepa mean?

Deepa is a Sanskrit name meaning 'lamp' or 'light', the small lamp lit at Diwali.

How do you pronounce Deepa?

It's said DEE-puh /ˈdiː.pə/, two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Deepa a boy or girl name?

Deepa is used as a girl's name.

Is Deepa a popular name?

No, in the United States it has always been rare, a heritage name most visible around the early nineteen-eighties.