Boy · #12,285 in 2026

Nitish

Nitish is an Indian male given name from Sanskrit meaning "ruler of guidance". Notable people with the name include:Nitish Beejan, Mauritian politician Nitish Bharadwaj, Indian actor Nitish Chavan, Indian Marathi film and television actor Nitish Jain, Indian educationist Nitish Katara, Indian business executive murdered in 2002 Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (cricketer), Canadian…

Current Rank
#12,285
Peak Rank
#5,578 (2005)
Total Babies
83
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2001
First Year
2011
Last Year
2005
Peak Year
#5578
Peak Rank
83
Total Count
9
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nitish

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Nitish is an Indian male given name from Sanskrit meaning "ruler of guidance". Notable people with the name include:Nitish Beejan, Mauritian politician Nitish Bharadwaj, Indian actor Nitish Chavan, Indian Marathi film and television actor Nitish Jain, Indian educationist Nitish Katara, Indian business executive murdered in 2002 Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (cricketer), Canadian…

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Nitish

Nitish first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2001, with 10 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 14 Nitishs were born — ranking #5,578 that year. As of 2026, Nitish ranks #12,285 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 83 Nitishs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Nitish

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nitish is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Nightish
  • Nitzsche
  • Nottage
  • Neidisch
  • Nitta
  • Natisha
  • Knittle
  • Netfish
  • Knittel
  • Notice
  • Knitting
  • Knitted

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nitish

What does the name Nitish mean?
Nitish is an Indian male given name from Sanskrit meaning "ruler of guidance". Notable people with the name include:Nitish Beejan, Mauritian politician Nitish Bharadwaj, Indian actor Nitish Chavan, Indian Marathi film and television actor Nitish Jain, Indian educationist Nitish Katara, Indian business executive murdered in 2002 Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (cricketer), Canadian…
How popular is Nitish in 2026?
In 2026, Nitish ranks #12,285 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Nitish most popular?
Nitish reached its peak popularity in 2005, ranking #5,578 that year with 14 babies given the name.
Is Nitish a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Nitish is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Nitish?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nitish include Harel, Markeis, Uday. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Harel
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Markeis
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Uday
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Kerron
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Kekai
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Edmar
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Devynn
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Guage
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About the name Nitish

Nitish is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2001 and has accumulated 83 births in the dataset. Nitish's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #5,578. Use the chart and map above to compare Nitish's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.