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