NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Rishi

A name of Sanskrit origin meaning "sage" or "scholar".

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.

Rishi is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rishi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1460, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 68 births.

This profile covers 1,288 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 26% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,281 living people in the UK are called Rishi. 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

  • Rishi ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 68 boys were registered as Rishi.
  • Rishi ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #686 in 2015.
  • About 1,281 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rishi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1460

2024

Births in 2024

18

Latest year

Peak year

2008

68 births

Estimated living

1,281

2026

Meaning

What does Rishi mean?

The name Rishi is derived from the Sanskrit language and has its origins in ancient India. It is believed to have been in use since the Vedic period, which dates back to around 1500-500 BCE. The word "Rishi" in Sanskrit means a sage, seer, or enlightened being.

In Hindu mythology and sacred texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas, Rishis were revered as wise and enlightened individuals who had attained a deep understanding of the spiritual realm and the cosmos. They were often depicted as mystics and poets who composed hymns, taught spiritual knowledge, and guided others on the path of enlightenment.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rishi can be found in the Rigveda, one of the oldest and most sacred Hindu scriptures. The Rigveda mentions several Rishis, including Vishvamitra, Vashishtha, and Agastya, who were renowned for their spiritual wisdom and poetic compositions.

Throughout history, the name Rishi has been borne by various notable figures. One of the most famous was Rishi Kanada, an ancient Indian philosopher and sage who is credited with founding the Vaisheshika school of Hindu philosophy, which focused on the study of the nature of atoms and the physical world. He is believed to have lived around the 6th century BCE.

Another prominent individual with the name Rishi was Rishi Kashyap, an ancient sage and author of several Hindu scriptures, including the Kashyap Samhita, which deals with various aspects of Hindu life and rituals. He is thought to have lived around the 8th century BCE.

In more recent times, Rishi Aurobindo (1872-1950) was a renowned Indian philosopher, yogi, and spiritual teacher who played a prominent role in the Indian independence movement before devoting himself to spiritual pursuits. He developed an influential philosophy known as Integral Yoga and founded the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry.

Rishi Nath Arya (1887-1967) was an eminent Indian freedom fighter, social reformer, and politician who actively participated in the Indian independence movement. He served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and played a significant role in shaping the country's constitution.

Rishi Kapoor (1952-2020) was a legendary Indian actor who had a career spanning several decades in Bollywood. He was a recipient of numerous accolades, including the National Film Award and the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, and is regarded as one of the most influential actors in Indian cinema.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rishi over time

The chart below shows babies named Rishi 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 Rishi, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 68 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Rishi
017345168199620102024

Decades

Rishi by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rishi 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 #938 178 5
2010s #752 452 10
2000s #554 500 10
1990s #493 158 4

Geography

Where Rishi is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rishi. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Rishi ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #686 in 2015.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Rishi in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#686 in 2015

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Rishi

  • Rishi Sunak

    financial analyst; politician

    Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024 and Leader of the Conservative Party (2022–2024)

    1980-

Related

Names similar to Rishi

FAQ

Rishi: questions and answers

How popular is the name Rishi in the UK right now?

In 2024, Rishi was ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.

When was Rishi most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 68 babies registered as Rishi in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rishi?

A name of Sanskrit origin meaning "sage" or "scholar".

How many people are called Rishi in the UK?

A total of 1,288 babies have been registered as Rishi across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Rishi most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Rishi ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #686 in 2015. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.