Ritesh
A masculine Hindu name meaning "protector of sacred rituals".
Name Census estimates that about 167 living Americans carry the first name Ritesh. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Ritesh today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ritesh births was 2012 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ritesh. 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
167
~ 1 in 2,052,421 Americans
Peak year
2012
13 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2015 SSA rank
#8,581
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Ritesh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ritesh from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 56 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ritesh 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 Ritesh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ritesh
The name Ritesh originates from the Sanskrit language and has its roots in ancient Indian culture, dating back to the Vedic period (c. 1500 - c. 500 BCE). It is derived from the Sanskrit words "ritu" meaning "season" and "ish" meaning "lord" or "master." Therefore, the name Ritesh can be interpreted as "lord of the seasons" or "master of the seasons."
While the exact origin of the name is not entirely clear, it is believed to have been associated with deities or revered individuals who were considered guardians or rulers of the different seasons. Some ancient Hindu texts, such as the Puranas, mention figures with similar names, indicating the name's historical significance in Indian mythology and religious traditions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ritesh can be found in the 12th century CE, when it appeared in Sanskrit manuscripts and inscriptions from the medieval period. During this time, the name was likely used by scholars, poets, and individuals from aristocratic or noble backgrounds.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ritesh. One such figure was Ritesh Deshmukh (1554-1623 CE), a Marathi poet and scholar from the Deccan region of India, who made significant contributions to the Marathi literary tradition.
Another prominent figure was Ritesh Dutta (1718-1793 CE), a Bengali philosopher and social reformer, known for his work in promoting education and social welfare during the late 18th century in Bengal.
In the 19th century, Ritesh Chandra Dutt (1848-1909) was a renowned Bengali writer, translator, and civil servant who played a crucial role in introducing Indian literature to the Western world through his translations of ancient Sanskrit texts.
Moving into the 20th century, Ritesh Pande (1905-1988) was an influential Indian economist and statesman who served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1963 to 1967.
More recently, Ritesh Sidhwani (born 1973) is a prominent Indian film producer who has been involved in several successful Bollywood movies, including the critically acclaimed "Dil Chahta Hai" and "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara."
While the name Ritesh continues to be used in various parts of India and among the Indian diaspora, its historical roots and cultural significance remain deeply embedded in the ancient Sanskrit language and Indian traditions, reflecting the enduring influence of this name across centuries.
People
Ritesh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ritesh 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
Ritesh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ritesh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 167 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ritesh 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 2,052,421 US residents.
Is Ritesh a common name?
We classify Ritesh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 171 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ritesh most popular?
The single biggest year for Ritesh was 2012, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ritesh is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ritesh a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ritesh 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.