Boy · Sanskrit · Hindu
Rishi
ऋषिSay it RI-shee
- Meaning
- An inspired poet or sage; a singer of sacred hymns Monier-Williams, p. 226
- Say it
- RI-shee
- Written
- ऋषि
- Other spellings
- Rushi
Rishi
Stays on your phone. A family name is never required.
Rishi meaning
Rishi (ऋषि) is a Hindu boy's name of Sanskrit origin.
An inspired poet or sage; a singer of sacred hymns
Rishi (ऋषि) is the Sanskrit ṛṣi, a singer of sacred hymns, an inspired poet or sage. In orthodox tradition the ṛṣis are the seers to whom the hymns of the Veda were revealed, and Monier-Williams suggests, with a question mark, a link to dṛś, "to see". The seven great ṛṣis, the saptarṣi, are a celebrated group: the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa names them as Gotama, Bharadvāja, Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Vasiṣṭha, Kaśyapa and Atri, and they are said to form the constellation of the Great Bear. Later the word came to mean any saint or ascetic. Name lists give the same meaning, "sage". A well-known modern bearer is Rishi Sunak, the first Hindu Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Source: Monier-Williams, Sanskrit–English Dictionary (1899), p. 226 · entry ṛṣi · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Monier-Williams, ṛṣi, pp. 226–227 · Britannica, Rishi Sunak
Famous namesakes
- The Saptarishi, the seven great seers of Hindu tradition
- Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister 2022–24
Spellings
Rishi · Rushi