Boy · #12,230 in 2026

Rishikesh

Name: Popularity of the name Rishikesh in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Rishikesh, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Rishikesh or Hrishikesh is a municipal corporation and tehsil of the Dehradun district of the Indian state Uttarakhand. It is situated on the right bank of the Ganges river and is a pilgrimage town for Hindus associated with famous sages and yogis.

Current Rank

#12,230

Peak Rank

#5,723 (2002)

Total Babies

107

5-Yr Trend

Stable

2001

First Year

2023

Last Year

2002

Peak Year

#5723

Peak Rank

107

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Rishikesh

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

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

Etymology

IAST : " Hṛṣīkeśa " ( Sanskrit : हृषीकेश ) is a name derived from Vishnu , composed of hṛṣīka meaning 'senses' and īśa meaning 'lord' for a combined meaning as 'Lord of the Senses'. The name commemorates an apparition of Vishnu to Raibhya Rishi, as a result of his tapasya (austerities), as Hrishikesha . In the Skanda Purana , this area is known as Kubjāmraka ( कुब्जाम्रक ), as Vishnu appeared under a mango tree.

Origin & history

Rishikesh was part of the legendary "Kedarkhand" mentioned in the Skanda Purana. Legends state that Rama did penance here for killing Ravana , the asura king of Lanka . Lakshmana , Rama's younger brother, crossed the Ganges using two jute ropes at the point where the present Lakshman Jhula ( लक्ष्मण झूला ) suspension bridge stands today. The 248-foot long iron-rope suspension bridge built in 1889 was washed away by flooding in 1924. In 1927, it was replaced by another, stronger bridge built by the United Provinces Public Works Department, connecting the Tapovan, Tehri , and Jonk, Pauri Garhwal

The Story of Rishikesh

Rishikesh first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2001, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2002: 12 births, good for #5,723 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 64% of all recorded Rishikeshs. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 107 Rishikeshs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Rishikesh

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

Hrishikesh
Rijeka
Recycle
Rakish
Rokosz
Riggish
Reject
Rejects
Rajesh
Roszak

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rishikesh

What does the name Rishikesh mean?

How popular is Rishikesh in 2026?

In 2026, Rishikesh ranks #12,230 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Rishikesh most popular?

Rishikesh reached its peak popularity in 2002, ranking #5,723 that year with 12 babies given the name.

Is Rishikesh a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Rishikesh is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Rishikesh?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Rishikesh include Garrit, Segundo, Dartanion. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Rishikesh

Rishikesh is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2001 and has accumulated 107 births in the dataset. Rishikesh's peak popularity came in 2002 when it ranked #5,723. Use the chart and map above to compare Rishikesh'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.