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Home › Baby Names Directory › Gautam

Gautam

♂ Boy

Pronounced GOW-tum /ˈɡaʊ.təm/Medium

Meaning: From the Sanskrit Gautama, 'a descendant of Gotama; one who dispels darkness' — the family name of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama); we note the sacred linkLow

In 30 seconds: One who dispels darkness: Gautam is Sanskrit. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'GOW-tum').
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Origin LowIndian, Sanskrit
MeaningFrom the Sanskrit Gautama, 'a descendant of Gotama; one who dispels darkness' — the family name of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama); we note the sacred link
U.S. rank (2025)#7845 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births10 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2008
Total births (all-time)≈ 712

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200819722025

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

Gautam comes from the Sanskrit Gautama, 'a descendant of Gotama; one who dispels darkness' — the family name of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama; we note the sacred link). A crisp, classic name (said 'GOW-tum').

In the U.S. it appears in Indian families. Rare, one-who-dispels-darkness at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Gautama means 'a descendant of Gotama; one who dispels darkness' in Sanskrit — the family name of the Buddha — Gautam is a form, crisp and classic (we note the sacred link; said 'GOW-tum').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Gautam — Sanskrit; Buddhist link

Variations

GautamaGowthamGoutam

Nicknames

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If you like Gautam…

Siddharth— a fellow Buddhist-themed boys' name
Aryan— a sound-neighbor Sanskrit boys' name
Vikram— a similarly popular pick
Agam— echoes that soft -am sound
Shivam— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Gautam

By themesanskritindiansacred

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Gautam mean?

Gautam is Sanskrit for 'a descendant of Gotama; one who dispels darkness' — the family name of the Buddha. We note the sacred link.

How do you pronounce Gautam?

It's said GOW-tum /ˈɡaʊ.təm/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Gautam a boy or girl name?

Gautam is a boy's name.

How popular is Gautam?

Gautam is a very rare name in the U.S.

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