UK boy's name
Anirudh
Anirudh is a Hindu name meaning "one who has no obstacles".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Anirudh is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Anirudh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 10 births.
This profile covers 115 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2002 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 40% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 114 living people in the UK are called Anirudh. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Anirudh ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 10 boys were registered as Anirudh.
- • About 114 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anirudh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2012
10 births
Estimated living
114
2026
Meaning
What does Anirudh mean?
The name Anirudh has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was the primary language of the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "ani" meaning breath or life, and "rudh" meaning to obstruct or control. Therefore, the literal meaning of Anirudh is "one who controls life or breath".
Anirudh is a popular name in the Hindu religion and is mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts and scriptures. In the epic Mahabharata, Anirudh was the son of Lord Krishna and his wife Rukmini. He was known for his bravery and valor in battle.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Anirudh can be found in the Puranas, a vast collection of ancient Hindu texts. The Puranas mention several individuals with the name Anirudh, suggesting that the name was in use during the time these texts were composed, which was between the 3rd and 10th centuries CE.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Anirudh. One of the most famous was Anirudh Bhatt Nayak, a 16th-century Indian poet and scholar from the Nayak dynasty of Madurai. He was renowned for his works in Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu literature.
Another notable figure was Anirudh Kanjilal, an Indian nationalist and freedom fighter who was born in 1888. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and was imprisoned several times for his involvement in the struggle against British colonial rule.
In the field of music, Anirudh Ravichander is a prominent Indian music composer and singer who has worked in the Tamil film industry since 2011. He has composed music for several successful movies and has won numerous awards for his work.
Anirudh Chaudhari was an Indian field hockey player who represented India in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where the team won a gold medal. He was a key member of the Indian hockey team during the 1960s and played a crucial role in their victories.
Anirudh Kathait was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, representing the state of Uttar Pradesh from 1996 to 2009.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Anirudh over time
The chart below shows babies named Anirudh registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Anirudh, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anirudh by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anirudh was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3420 | 22 | 4 |
| 2010s | #2970 | 61 | 9 |
| 2000s | #2982 | 32 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Anirudh
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Anirudh: questions and answers
How popular is the name Anirudh in the UK right now?
In 2024, Anirudh was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Anirudh most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 10 babies registered as Anirudh in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Anirudh?
Anirudh is a Hindu name meaning "one who has no obstacles".
How many people are called Anirudh in the UK?
A total of 115 babies have been registered as Anirudh across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.