UK boy's name
Raghav
A masculine given name of Sanskrit origin meaning "illustrious" or "prominent".
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.
Raghav is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Raghav popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1108, with 26 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 26 births.
This profile covers 252 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 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.
Raghav is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 250 living people in the UK are called Raghav. 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
- • Raghav ranked #1108 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 26 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 26 boys were registered as Raghav.
- • About 250 living people in the UK are estimated to have Raghav as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1108
2024
Births in 2024
26
Latest year
Peak year
2024
26 births
Estimated living
250
2026
Meaning
What does Raghav mean?
The name Raghav is of Hindu origin, derived from the Sanskrit word 'Raghava', which means 'the descendant of Raghu'. Raghu was a famous king from the Suryavanshi dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Ayodhya in ancient India.
The name Raghav finds its roots in the epic Ramayana, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Lord Rama, the central figure of the Ramayana, was also known as Raghav or Raghunath, as he was a descendant of King Raghu.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Raghav can be found in the Ramayana itself, where it is used as an epithet for Lord Rama. The name gained popularity among Hindus, especially in North India, due to its association with the divine figure of Lord Rama.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Raghav. One of the earliest known was Raghav Bhatt, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 17th century. He was the author of the famous poetic work 'Shringara Shataka'.
Another prominent figure with the name Raghav was Raghav Chandra, a 19th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and was responsible for establishing several observatories in India.
In the realm of literature, Raghav Chetan was a renowned Hindi poet and writer who lived in the 20th century (1915-1994). He was widely acclaimed for his poetry collections, such as 'Gunjan' and 'Mukta', and received several prestigious awards for his literary contributions.
Raghav Chettar was an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century (1888-1953). He was actively involved in the non-cooperation movement and worked towards the upliftment of the underprivileged sections of society.
In more recent times, Raghav Rajan was an Indian-American economist and the former governor of the Reserve Bank of India (1963-). He is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost experts on international finance and has been an influential voice in global economic policy-making.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Raghav throughout history, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and significance in various fields.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Raghav over time
The chart below shows babies named Raghav registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Raghav, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 26 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Raghav by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Raghav 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 | #1649 | 65 | 4 |
| 2010s | #2444 | 97 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2307 | 75 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2617 | 15 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Raghav
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Raghav: questions and answers
How popular is the name Raghav in the UK right now?
In 2024, Raghav was ranked #1108 for boys in England and Wales, with 26 births registered.
When was Raghav most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 26 babies registered as Raghav in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Raghav?
A masculine given name of Sanskrit origin meaning "illustrious" or "prominent".
How many people are called Raghav in the UK?
A total of 252 babies have been registered as Raghav across the 27 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.