About the name Rahul
Rahula was the Buddha's only son, and the fact that a Hindu name of Buddhist origin became the most common boy's name of eighties India says a great deal about how porous those traditions are. It has an unusually reliable, dependable feel in Indian ears, less flash than Rohan and more solidity than most.
Rahul is a boy name of Sanskrit origin, pronounced rah-HOOL. On the NameRarity scale it scores 59 out of 100, which places it in the rare band — recognisable but seldom used. Distinctive without needing to be spelled out twice. Its strongest period was the 1980s.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Rahul?
Rahul currently falls outside the US top 1,000, which is a large part of why it scores so highly for rarity. Roughly 44 people per million carry it — about 1 in 22,727. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Rahul
- Rahul DravidIndian cricketer and former national head coach
- Rahul BoseIndian actor, director and rugby player
- Rahul GandhiIndian politician and Leader of the Opposition
Spellings and variants of Rahul
Names similar to Rahul
Deepak
DEE-pahk
Lamp, the one who kindles light
Meera
MEE-rah
Ocean, boundary; borne by Mirabai, the Rajput saint-poet devoted to Krishna
Mohan
MOH-hahn
Enchanting, bewitching; a name of Krishna
Raghav
RAA-ghuv
Descendant of Raghu, an epithet of Rama
Rahula
RAH-hoo-lah
Fetter, the name the Buddha gave his only son
Ranbir
run-BEER
Hero of the battlefield
Ravi
RAH-vee
Sun; a name of the solar deity Surya
Rian
REE-un
Little king; also read as a beam of light
Rahul — frequently asked questions
What does the name Rahul mean?
Rahul means "Efficient, capable; borne by the son of the Buddha". It is a name of Sanskrit origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Rahul?
Rahul is pronounced rah-HOOL, with 2 syllables.
How rare is the name Rahul?
Rahul scores 59 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it rare. Roughly 1 in every 22,727 people carry it — about 44 per million.
What is the numerology number for Rahul?
Rahul carries the expression number 6, known as The Nurturer. Its soul urge number is 4 and its personality number is 2.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Rahul?
The lucky number for Rahul is 6 (with 15, 24, 33 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Rose Blush. The traditional lucky day is Friday and the associated gemstone is Rose Quartz.