Rudra is a Sanskrit name borne by the Vedic god of storms and the hunt, who was later identified with Shiva; it is usually explained as "the roarer" or "the howler", from the root rud, to cry out. The name is common among Hindu families in India and has grown in the United States with the Indian American community. Rudra had fewer than 20 births a year in 2000, when it stood at number 7286, and has risen to number 1289 in 2025, its highest rank so far.