| Aarush | Dhruv | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | First ray of the sun; red | Pole star; constant, steadfast |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AH-roosh | DHROOV |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 2002 | 1987 |
| Peak year | 2010 (227) | 2019 (210) |
| In 2025 | 99 | 195 |
| Trend | Steady | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Aarush | Dhruv |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 664 | 1,153 |
| 2010s | 1,860 | 1,699 |
| 2000s | 536 | 1,335 |
| 1990s | 0 | 264 |
| 1980s | 0 | 23 |
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 the Sanskrit ध्रुव (dhruva), 'fixed, firm, immovable, constant'; also the name of the Pole Star and of the boy-devotee Dhruva in the Puranas, who became the unwavering North Star.
Dhruv is more popular than Aarush today: about 195 US babies were given the name Dhruv in 2025, compared with 99 named Aarush.
Aarush means First ray of the sun; red (sanskrit origin), while Dhruv means Pole star; constant, steadfast (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Aarush first appears in 2002 and Dhruv in 1987, so Dhruv has the longer recorded history.