Rushad
An Arabic name meaning "rightly guided" or "on the right path".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Rushad. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Rushad today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rushad births was 2000 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rushad. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rushad. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2000
5 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2000 SSA rank
#11,792
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Rushad: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Rushad 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 Rushad during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Rushad
The name Rushad has its origins in the Persian language, tracing back to ancient Iran and the Middle Persian era. It is derived from the Avestan word "Ēruxshād," which means "radiant" or "luminous." This ancient Iranian name has been in use for centuries, with early records indicating its presence in the Zoroastrian religious texts, such as the Avesta.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rushad can be found in the 10th century work, "Shahnameh" (The Book of Kings), written by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi. In this epic poem, Rushad is mentioned as the name of a character. This literary reference provides evidence of the name's usage during the medieval period in Persia.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Rushad. One such figure was Rushad al-Din Sinan (1135-1192), a Persian leader of the Nizari Ismaili state and the first Grand Master of the Order of Assassins. He was known for his strategic military campaigns and his influence in the region during the Crusades.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Rushad al-Din Fazlullah (1247-1321), a Persian philosopher, scientist, and scholar. He made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy, and his works were widely studied and referenced by scholars in the Islamic world.
In the 15th century, Rushad al-Din Mirza (1440-1500), a prince of the Timurid dynasty, was a notable figure. He was a patron of arts and literature and played a role in the cultural renaissance during the reign of his father, Sultan Husayn Bayqara.
Moving forward in history, Rushad Beyg (1672-1726) was a prominent military leader and statesman during the Safavid era in Persia. He served as the governor of several provinces and played a crucial role in the defense of the country against foreign invasions.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have carried the name Rushad, but it is evident that this ancient Persian name has had a rich and significant presence throughout the centuries, spanning various fields and regions.
People
Rushad + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rushad 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
Rushad: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rushad?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rushad 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Rushad a common name?
We classify Rushad as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rushad most popular?
The single biggest year for Rushad was 2000, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rushad is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rushad in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rushad a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rushad 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.
Is Rushad still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rushad in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rushad can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Rushad as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Rushad on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.