UK name, mostly boys
Rudhra
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "the fierce form of Shiva".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 4 girls.
Rudhra is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Rudhra popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2014 to 2023. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Rudhra. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rudhra ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 4 boys were registered as Rudhra.
- • Rudhra is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rudhra as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 71.4% of Rudhra registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2022
4 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Rudhra
In England and Wales birth records, Rudhra has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 71.4% of registrations are for boys and 28.6% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Rudhra registered for boys
- Ranked #4,991 in 2023
- 3 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2022 (4 births)
Rudhra registered for girls
- Ranked #4,645 in 2022
- 4 girls registered in 2022
- Peak: 2022 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Rudhra mean?
The name Rudhra has its origins in ancient Sanskrit and is derived from the word "Rudra," which is one of the names of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and transformation. The name is believed to have emerged during the Vedic period in India, which dates back to around 1500-500 BCE.
Rudra was a prominent figure in the Rigveda, one of the oldest and most sacred Hindu scriptures, where he is portrayed as a fierce and powerful deity associated with storms, winds, and natural calamities. The name Rudhra is a variant of Rudra and is believed to be a reference to the fierce and destructive aspects of Lord Shiva.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Rudhra can be found in the Shiva Purana, an ancient Hindu text dedicated to Lord Shiva. In this text, Rudhra is mentioned as one of the eleven manifestations of Lord Shiva, representing his fearsome and wrathful form.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Rudhra. One such individual was Rudhra Guhathakurta (1882-1937), a prominent Indian playwright and novelist from Bengal. Another was Rudhra Ranasinghe (1927-1994), a renowned Sri Lankan novelist and short story writer, who made significant contributions to Sinhala literature.
In Indian mythology, the name Rudhra is also associated with Rudra Kumara, one of the sons of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Rudra Kumara is revered as the god of teardrops and is believed to possess the power to cure diseases and alleviate suffering.
Another notable figure with the name Rudhra was Rudhra Veena Upasaka (1896-1982), a celebrated Indian classical musician and exponent of the Rudra Veena, a stringed instrument associated with Lord Shiva.
The name Rudhra also appears in the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. In this epic, Rudhra is mentioned as a powerful and fearsome warrior who fought alongside the Pandavas in the great Kurukshetra war.
While the name Rudhra has its roots in Hindu mythology and ancient Sanskrit texts, it has also been adopted by individuals from various cultures and backgrounds over the centuries, reflecting the diverse and rich tapestry of human civilization.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rudhra over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Rudhra in England and Wales, from 2014 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rudhra, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rudhra by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rudhra 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 | #4496 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4632 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Rudhra
- 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
Rudhra: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rudhra in the UK right now?
In 2023, Rudhra was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rudhra most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 4 babies registered as Rudhra in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rudhra?
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "the fierce form of Shiva".
How many people are called Rudhra in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Rudhra across the 3 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.