Rushi first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Rushi has been for the last 35 years (from 1988 to 2022) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Rushi

A unisex name of Indian origin meaning "light" or "bright".

Popularity of Rushi by gender

Based on the last 35 years of data, Rushi is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2022, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Rushi.

Year Male Count Female Count
2022 6 0
2016 5 0
2014 6 0
2013 6 0
2012 10 0
2011 8 0
2010 10 0
2009 7 0
2008 8 0
2007 8 0
2006 8 0
2005 11 0
2004 8 0
2003 14 0
2001 11 0
2000 12 0
1999 10 0
1998 10 0
1997 7 0
1996 12 0
1995 16 0
1994 7 0
1993 8 0
1992 9 0
1991 6 0
1990 6 0
1989 5 0
1988 6 0

The history of the first name Rushi

The given name Rushi has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages spoken in South Asia. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "rushi," which means "sage" or "seer." It is believed to have been a popular name among Hindus and Buddhists in ancient India.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Rushi can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas, which date back to around 1500 BCE. In these texts, Rushi is often used as a title to refer to the sages or rishis who were the authors and preservers of the Vedic hymns and mantras.

During the Vedic period, several notable sages bore the name Rushi, including Rushi Agastya, who is credited with the composition of several Vedic hymns and is regarded as one of the seven great sages in Hindu mythology.

In Buddhist literature, the name Rushi is also mentioned in connection with the disciples of the Buddha. The Pali Canon, which is a collection of Buddhist scriptures, mentions a disciple named Rushi who was known for his wisdom and spiritual attainments.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Rushi. One of the earliest was Rushi Valmiki (c. 500 BCE), who is regarded as the author of the Hindu epic Ramayana, one of the most important literary works in the Sanskrit tradition.

Another significant figure was Rushi Kashyapa (c. 200 BCE), who was a renowned Hindu sage and the founder of the Kashyapa gotra, one of the most prominent Brahmin lineages in India.

In more recent times, Rushi Raj Arora (1954-2022) was an Indian writer and film director who was known for his works exploring themes of spirituality and existentialism.

Rushi Prasad (1921-2007) was an eminent Indian physicist and educator who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics and served as the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University.

Rushi Kesh (born 1981) is a contemporary Indian classical vocalist and composer who has performed extensively both in India and abroad, promoting the rich traditions of Hindustani classical music.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Rushi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rushi, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Rushi first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/rushi-meaning-and-history/.

"Rushi first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/rushi-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 5 July, 2025

Rushi first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/rushi-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.