Rudra is a lively Sanskrit name meaning "roaring", "howling", and "crying", though it is occasionally interpreted as meaning "frightening and fierce one". A popular boy name in Nepal, and India, it is used for girls too.

An Hindu deity name that has risen in use for boys in recent years, Rudra is a figure associated with wind, storms, hunting, medicine, and Lord Shiva. While it leans masculine in India, Nepal, the UK, and the US, it is also used for girls, most notably in Bangladesh.