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Poonam
How to Pronounce Poonam
Pronounced POO-nuhm /ˈpuː.nəm/Medium
Meaning: Poonam derives from the Sanskrit purnima, the day of the full moon, and is understood simply as 'full moon.' It is a warm, widely used girl's name in India, carrying the calm, complete imagery of the full moon.Medium
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
Poonam comes from the Sanskrit purnima, the full-moon day of the Hindu calendar, and is understood as 'full moon.' A common and much-loved name across India, it traveled to the United States with Indian families and appears on American birth records from the early nineteen-seventies. Its serene lunar meaning has kept it a steady heritage choice.
In the United States it stayed rare, given to only a couple dozen girls a year even at its high in the mid-nineteen-eighties, so a girl named Poonam then would be in her thirties today. It reads as a heritage name carried by Indian families rather than a mainstream trend.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Poonam mean?
It means 'full moon,' from the Sanskrit purnima, the full-moon day.
How do you pronounce Poonam?
It's said POO-nuhm /ˈpuː.nəm/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Poonam a boy or girl name?
Poonam is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Poonam?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak in the mid-nineteen-eighties.