Kumar
A common South Asian surname and given-name element originally meaning “boy,” “prince,” or “young man.”
The #1,357 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 11,881 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Kumar comes from Sanskrit kumāra, a word meaning “boy,” “youth,” or “prince.” In many South Asian languages it became both a personal name element and a surname, and in some communities it also functions as a respectful title or middle name. Its spread as a family name is therefore tied less to one single occupation or place than to broader naming customs across India and the diaspora.
History
As a surname, Kumar is especially common in North India and among Hindi-speaking communities, but it is also widely used across South Asia in many different castes and religious groups. In modern times it has become one of the most familiar South Asian surnames in Britain, North America, and elsewhere through migration. Because it is so widespread, it often tells more about naming convention than about a single family line.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In many Indian naming traditions, Kumar is so common that it is sometimes used almost like a generic masculine name element rather than a strictly inherited surname.