| Ishaan | Rishi | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The sun; lord | Sage, seer |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | i-SHAAN | RISH-ee |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1990 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2019 (289) | 2023 (229) |
| In 2025 | 266 | 0 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ishaan | Rishi |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,584 | 1,156 |
| 2010s | 2,585 | 1,322 |
| 2000s | 1,216 | 1,578 |
| 1990s | 77 | 523 |
| 1980s | 0 | 432 |
| 1970s | 0 | 131 |
From Sanskrit ishana (ईशान), 'ruler, master', also a name of the sun and an epithet of Shiva (lord of the northeast direction). Glossed both as 'the sun' and 'lord/ruler'.
From the Sanskrit ऋषि (ṛṣi), 'a seer, sage, inspired poet' — the title of the sages to whom the Vedic hymns were revealed. A firmly established classical word.
Ishaan is more popular than Rishi today: about 266 US babies were given the name Ishaan in 2025, compared with 0 named Rishi.
Ishaan means The sun; lord (sanskrit origin), while Rishi means Sage, seer (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Ishaan first appears in 1990 and Rishi in 0, so Rishi has the longer recorded history.