| Atharv | Aarush | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Knowledge; the Atharvaveda | First ray of the sun; red |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | uh-THARV | AH-roosh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 2000 | 2002 |
| Peak year | 2024 (224) | 2010 (227) |
| In 2025 | 187 | 99 |
| Trend | Rising | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Atharv | Aarush |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,277 | 664 |
| 2010s | 950 | 1,860 |
| 2000s | 158 | 536 |
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.
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.
Atharv is more popular than Aarush today: about 187 US babies were given the name Atharv in 2025, compared with 99 named Aarush.
Atharv means Knowledge; the Atharvaveda (sanskrit origin), while Aarush means First ray of the sun; red (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Atharv first appears in 2000 and Aarush in 2002, so Atharv has the longer recorded history.