| Ishan | Rudra | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The sun; ruler; a name of Shiva | The roarer (Shiva) |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ee-SHAHN | RUD-ruh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 2000 |
| Peak year | 2009 (148) | 2025 (152) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 152 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ishan | Rudra |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 476 | 725 |
| 2010s | 1,048 | 779 |
| 2000s | 978 | 259 |
| 1990s | 212 | 0 |
| 1980s | 23 | 0 |
From the Sanskrit ईशान (īśāna), 'ruler, master'. It is an epithet of the god Shiva, also denotes the sun and the north-eastern quarter (one of the dikpalas). A genuine, well-attested Vedic/classical term.
From Sanskrit rudra (रुद्र), the fierce Vedic storm deity whose name is traditionally derived from a root meaning 'to roar/cry'; it is a well-known epithet of Shiva. A divine name with connotations of awe-inspiring power.
Rudra is more popular than Ishan today: about 152 US babies were given the name Rudra in 2025, compared with 0 named Ishan.
Ishan means The sun; ruler; a name of Shiva (sanskrit origin), while Rudra means The roarer (Shiva) (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Ishan first appears in 0 and Rudra in 2000, so Ishan has the longer recorded history.