Declining since 2001, #8,910 for boys today.
Popularity of Rahul since 1966
Babies named Rahul per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 13 |
| 1970s | 236 |
| 1980s | 442 |
| 1990s | 977 |
| 2000s | 1,355 |
| 2010s | 258 |
| 2020s | 51 |
Meaning & origin
Rahul is a traditional Sanskrit name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1966. It reached peak popularity in the year 2000, with its highest recorded rank that year. Since 2001, its frequency has declined steadily, a trajectory that continues to the latest 2025 data where the name was given to roughly 1 in 213,510 boys. While not among the top state-level favorites, its use remains consistent across Indian-American communities and has occasional international recognition due to notable figures outside the United States.
Rahul is derived from the Sanskrit root 'rahu' meaning 'to travel' or 'to journey'. In Hindu tradition, Rahul was the son of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), though the name appears in the Mahabharata as well. It has been used across India for centuries and gained prominence internationally in the 20th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rahu, Rah
Variants: Rahool, Rahoul
Sibling names for Rahul
Names that share Rahul's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Ananya, Ishita, Priya, Meera, Kavya, Khushi, Nisha, Pooja, Sneha, Ankita, Chandni, Harini, Manisha, Payal, Ramya, Rishika, Roshni, Sonal, Swati, Karishma, Manika, Navneet, Preeti, Priti, Puneet, Ruchi, Shefali, Shravya, Swathi, Aarthi, Anushree, Ashwini, Bijal, Deepti, Khushbu, Namrata, Nimisha, Rashmi, Shabana, Sruti, Sunaina, Vaishali
Brothers: Arjun, Vikram, Ravi, Soham, Aryan, Akhil, Akshay, Karthik, Kunal, Rohit, Sachin, Arvind, Ashish, Avinash, Manav, Rajiv, Siddarth, Tarun, Vaibhav, Vikas, Vinay, Amol, Anoop, Harish, Jatin, Krithik, Kushal, Mahesh, Neeraj, Prashant, Prateek, Rishav, Sumit, Nilesh, Charan, Mukund, Nikesh, Niraj, Ritesh, Tanmay
