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Home › Baby Names Directory › Pooja

Pooja

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Pooja

Pronounced POO-juh /ˈpuː.dʒə/High

Meaning: Pooja is the common English spelling of the Sanskrit and Hindi word pūjā, meaning 'worship' or a devotional ritual of offering. It is a widely used Indian girl's name.High

In 30 seconds: Pooja means 'worship' or a prayer ritual in Sanskrit and Hindi (said 'POO-juh') — a beloved Indian girl's name.
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Origin HighSanskrit
MeaningPooja is the common English spelling of the Sanskrit and Hindi word pūjā, meaning 'worship' or a devotional ritual of offering. It is a widely used Indian girl's name.
U.S. rank (2018)#17550 ↘ Falling
2018 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1997
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,981

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199719762018

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

Pooja comes directly from pūjā, the Sanskrit and Hindi term for an act of worship or ritual offering to the divine. A staple girls' name across India, it entered U.S. records with South Asian families and reached its high point in 1997, tracking that community's growth.

A Pooja from the peak is in her late twenties. The name is not a passing trend but a living Indian classic; among Indian American families it remains current, carried by well-known Bollywood bearers.

Did you know? Pooja's appearance in U.S. data, peaking in 1997, reflects the growing South Asian community naming daughters with this classic Indian name.
Overall data confidence 80%
References — Pooja — Sanskrit/Hindi pūjā, 'worship'; South Asian heritage name; late-1990s peak

Variations

PujaPoojaaPujah

Nicknames

PoojPooJuju

Famous Bearers

  • ★Pooja Bhatt (1972–present)
    Indian actress and film producer known for 1990s Hindi cinema.

If you like Pooja…

Priya— a like classic Indian girl's name
Anjali— another popular Sanskrit-rooted name
Shreeja— a similarly popular pick
Dwija— another Sanskrit name
Srija— a fellow Sanskrit choice

Explore names like Pooja

By themeheritagesanskritindiandevotional

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Pooja mean?

Pooja is a Sanskrit and Hindi word meaning 'worship' or a devotional ritual, used as a girl's name.

How do you pronounce Pooja?

It's said POO-juh /ˈpuː.dʒə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Pooja a boy or girl name?

Pooja is used as a girl's name, especially in Indian families.

How popular is Pooja?

Pooja is a classic Indian name that appears in U.S. records with South Asian families, peaking in the late nineties.

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