Given name & surname · also Sanskrit
Ravi
“from the sun”
Ravi is used as a given name and a surname. One Hindi interpretation is “from the sun.”
Original Hindiरवि
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hindi interpretation is “from the sun.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Sanskrit.
How it developed
The name draws on Sanskrit ravi, meaning “sun”.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1963. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ravi through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,610
- 3,605 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 167 babies
- 2025
- 160
- #1,249 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +145%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 160 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,249 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 145.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Massachusetts had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (40). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,577 as a first name in 2020; 2,492 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ravi’s family of names
Ravi has a related form in Ravy. Ravi has a related form in Ravea. Ravi has a related form in Ravee.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ravi has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Sanskrit roots to each of them.
Sanskritwhere Ravi comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Ravi
- Ravi ShankarIndian sitar player (1920–2012)
- Ravi ZachariasCanadian-American Christian apologist (1946–2020)
- Ravi Shankar PrasadIndian politicianborn 1954
- Ravi ShastriIndian cricket coach, former player and commentatorborn 1962
- Ravi TejaTelugu Actorborn 1962
- Ravi KishanIndian film actor, voice actor and television personalityborn 1971
- Ravi DubeyIndian model, comedian, dancer, presenter and actor.born 1983
- Ravi ColtraneAmerican jazz saxophonist (born 1965)
- Ravi ChopraIndian movie producer and director (1946-2014)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ravi, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kavi
“a great poetess” · “a poetic man”
92% boys · 8% girls
Ranveer
Ranveer is a masculine given name from Sanskrit.
>99% boys
Hari
“resembling a lion”
95% boys · 5% girls
Viraj
Viraj is used as a given name and a surname. One Hindi interpretation is “a magnificent man; in Hinduism, a primeval being.”
>99% boys
Shaurya
Shaurya is a masculine given name from Sanskrit.
>99% boys
Aarav
“sound; loud noise”
>99% boys
Keshav
Keshav is a masculine given name from Sanskrit.
>99% boys
Rachit
Rachit is a masculine given name from Sanskrit.
>99% boys