| Aarush | Atharv | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | First ray of the sun; red | Knowledge; the Atharvaveda |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AH-roosh | uh-THARV |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 2002 | 2000 |
| Peak year | 2010 (227) | 2024 (224) |
| In 2025 | 99 | 187 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Aarush | Atharv |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 664 | 1,277 |
| 2010s | 1,860 | 950 |
| 2000s | 536 | 158 |
From Sanskrit arusha (आरुष), 'reddish, red of dawn', commonly glossed as 'the first ray of the sun'. The 'red/dawn' sense is the attested one; 'first ray of sun' is the popular reading.
From Sanskrit atharvan (अथर्वन्), the name of the Atharvaveda and of the ancient sage traditionally said to be the first priest of fire. Commonly taken to mean 'knowledge' or evokes the Vedic fire-priest.
Atharv is more popular than Aarush today: about 187 US babies were given the name Atharv in 2025, compared with 99 named Aarush.
Aarush means First ray of the sun; red (sanskrit origin), while Atharv means Knowledge; the Atharvaveda (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Aarush first appears in 2002 and Atharv in 2000, so Atharv has the longer recorded history.