| Kabir | Rishi | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Great | Sage, seer |
| Origin | Sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | kah-BEER | RISH-ee |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1976 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2021 (284) | 2023 (229) |
| In 2025 | 227 | 0 |
| Trend | Rising | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Kabir | Rishi |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,464 | 1,156 |
| 2010s | 1,373 | 1,322 |
| 2000s | 471 | 1,578 |
| 1990s | 178 | 523 |
| 1980s | 86 | 432 |
| 1970s | 29 | 131 |
Kabir means “great,” shared with the revered 15th-century poet-saint Kabir.
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.
Kabir is more popular than Rishi today: about 227 US babies were given the name Kabir in 2025, compared with 0 named Rishi.
Kabir means Great (Sanskrit origin), while Rishi means Sage, seer (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Kabir first appears in 1976 and Rishi in 0, so Rishi has the longer recorded history.