Rishav
A masculine Indian name meaning "blazing sun" or "solar deity".
Name Census estimates that about 263 living Americans carry the first name Rishav. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rishav today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rishav births was 2019 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rishav. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
263
~ 1 in 1,303,248 Americans
Peak year
2019
20 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,189
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Rishav: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rishav from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 123 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Rishav remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rishav by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rishav during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rishavs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Rishav
The name Rishav finds its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient language of the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Rishi," which means a sage or a seer, and the word "av," which signifies possession or embodiment. The name Rishav, therefore, can be interpreted as "one who possesses the qualities of a sage or a seer."
In Hindu mythology and religious texts, rishis were revered as spiritual guides, philosophers, and seers who possessed profound wisdom and insight. They were believed to have attained a heightened state of consciousness and were often the authors of sacred hymns and mantras found in the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Rishav can be traced back to ancient Indian texts and inscriptions. One notable figure bearing this name was Rishav Deva, a legendary king and the first Tirthankara (ford-maker or enlightened being) in Jainism, an ancient Indian religion. He is believed to have lived millions of years ago and is revered as a spiritual leader who attained enlightenment and showed the path to liberation.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Rishav. One such person was Rishav Chandra, a prominent Bengali poet and playwright from the 19th century (1819-1891). He was renowned for his contributions to Bengali literature and his efforts in promoting education and social reforms.
Another notable figure was Rishav Kumar Shukla (1875-1926), an Indian mathematician and astronomer known for his work in the field of celestial mechanics. He made significant contributions to the study of planetary motion and the determination of orbits.
In more recent times, Rishav Raj Anand (1917-2003) was a renowned Indian filmmaker and writer. He is best known for his critically acclaimed films that explored social issues and human relationships, such as "Guide" and "Jewel Thief."
Rishav Parashar (born 1983) is a contemporary Indian music composer and singer who has composed music for several Bollywood films and TV shows. He is known for his versatility and his ability to blend traditional Indian music with modern styles.
Rishav Ghosh (born 1988) is an Indian cricketer who has represented the Indian national team in various formats. He is a right-arm medium-pace bowler and has been a part of several successful campaigns for the Indian team.
People
Rishav + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rishav as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rishav: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rishav?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 263 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rishav going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,303,248 US residents.
Is Rishav a common name?
We classify Rishav as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 265 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rishav most popular?
The single biggest year for Rishav was 2019, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rishav is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rishav a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rishav in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.