| Pranav | Rishi | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The sacred syllable Om | Sage, seer |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | PRUH-nav | RISH-ee |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1977 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2004 (236) | 2023 (229) |
| In 2025 | 56 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Pranav | Rishi |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 398 | 1,156 |
| 2010s | 1,426 | 1,322 |
| 2000s | 2,010 | 1,578 |
| 1990s | 358 | 523 |
| 1980s | 28 | 432 |
| 1970s | 5 | 131 |
From Sanskrit pranava (प्रणव), the term for the sacred syllable 'Om', regarded as the primordial sound. A spiritually weighted name meaning the mystic syllable itself.
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.
Pranav is more popular than Rishi today: about 56 US babies were given the name Pranav in 2025, compared with 0 named Rishi.
Pranav means The sacred syllable Om (sanskrit origin), while Rishi means Sage, seer (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Pranav first appears in 1977 and Rishi in 0, so Rishi has the longer recorded history.