Dravidian Names

These names are used by Dravidian peoples.
gender
usage
Aarthi f Tamil
Tamil form of Aarti.
Abhilash m Malayalam, Hindi
From Sanskrit अभिलष (abhilaṣa) meaning "desire, wish".
Abhinav m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu
From Sanskrit अभिनव (abhinava) meaning "young, fresh".
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix (a) and दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Aditya m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "belonging to Aditi" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the seven (or more) Hindu gods who are the children of Aditi. It is also another name for the sun god Surya.
Aishwarya f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit ऐश्वर्य (aiśvarya) meaning "prosperity, wealth". A famous bearer is the Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1973-).
Ajay m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "unconquered", from Sanskrit (a) meaning "not" and जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest".
Ajith m Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Ajita.
Akhil m Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam
From Sanskrit अखिल (akhila) meaning "whole, complete".
Akhila f Telugu, Malayalam
Feminine form of Akhil.
Akshay m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
From Sanskrit अक्षय (akṣaya) meaning "undecaying, imperishable".
Amala f Tamil, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit अमल (amala) meaning "clean, pure".
Amit 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
From Sanskrit अमित (amita) meaning "immeasurable, infinite".
Ananda m Sanskrit, Buddhism, Tamil, Bengali
Derived from Sanskrit आनन्द (ānanda) meaning "happiness, bliss". This was the name of an attendant and disciple of the Buddha.
Ananth m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anantha m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anbu m Tamil
Means "love" in Tamil.
Anil m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit अनिल (anila) meaning "air, wind".
Anita 2 f Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Tamil
Feminine form of Anit.
Anjali f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit अञ्जलि (añjali) meaning "salutation".
Anjana f & m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Malayalam, Tamil, Hinduism
Means "kohl, collyrium" in Sanskrit, referring to a black powder traditionally used as an eyeliner. This is a transcription from Sanskrit of both the feminine form अञ्जना (long final vowel) and the masculine form अञ्जन (short final vowel). The feminine form appears in the Hindu epic the Ramayana belonging to the mother of Hanuman. The modern masculine form is Anjan.
Anoop m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi अनूप, Bengali অনুপ or Malayalam അനൂപ് (see Anup).
Anup m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam
From Sanskrit अनूप (anūpa) meaning "watery, place near the water, lagoon".
Anuradha f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Sinhalese
From the name of a constellation in Hindu astrology, meaning "causing success", from Sanskrit अनु (anu) meaning "after" and राधा (rādhā) meaning "success, prosperity".
Aparna f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali
Means "leafless" in Sanskrit, from the negative prefix (a) and पर्ण (parṇa) meaning "leaf". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati, given because she would not eat even leaves while practicing austerity.
Aravind m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit अरविन्द (aravinda) meaning "lotus".
Aravinda m Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಅರವಿಂದ (see Aravind).
Archana f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit अर्चन (arcana) meaning "honouring, praising". This is the name of a Hindu ritual.
Arun m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Thai
Modern masculine form of Aruna.
Aruna m & f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi
Means "reddish brown, dawn" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Aruna (अरुण) is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. The modern feminine form अरुणा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as Aruna, however the modern masculine form is Arun.
Arya 1 m & f Persian, Hindi, Malayalam
From an old Indo-Iranian root meaning "Aryan, noble". In India, this is a transcription of both the masculine form आर्य and the feminine form आर्या. In Iran it is only a masculine name.
Asha 1 f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit आशा (āśā) meaning "wish, desire, hope".
Ashish m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit आशिष (āśiṣa) meaning "prayer, blessing".
Ashwin m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit अश्विन् (aśvin) meaning "possessed of horses". The Ashvins are twin Hindu gods of the sunrise and sunset.
Aswathi m Malayalam
From Sanskrit अशवत्थ (aśvattha) meaning "sacred fig tree".
Avinash m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit अविनाश (avināśa) meaning "indestructible".
Bala 1 m & f Tamil, Telugu, Hindi
Variant and feminine form of Bal.
Balakrishna m Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit बाल (bāla) meaning "young" combined with the name of the Hindu god Krishna.
Bharath m Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Bharata.
Bhavana f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Bhavna f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi भावना, Kannada ಭಾವನಾ or Malayalam ഭാവന (see Bhavana).
Chandana f & m Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhalese
Feminine form of Chandan, as well as the Sinhala masculine form.
Chandra m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (cand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड (the god of the moon personified) as well as the feminine form चण्डा (spelled with a long final vowel).
Chandrashekhar m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Odia
Means "crown of the moon", derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra) meaning "moon" and शेखर (śekhara) meaning "crest, peak, crown". This is an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva.
Chetan m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
From Sanskrit चेतन (cetana) meaning "visible, conscious, soul".
Chiranjeevi m Hindi, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi चिरंजीवी or Telugu చిరంజీవి (see Chiranjivi).
Chiranjivi m Hindi, Telugu
From Sanskrit चिरंजीव (ciraṃjīva) meaning "long-lived, infinite".
Darshan m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
From Sanskrit दर्शन (darśana) meaning "seeing, observing, understanding".
Deepa f Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दीपा, Gurmukhi ਦੀਪਾ, Bengali দীপা, Malayalam ദീപ or Tamil தீபா (see Dipa).
Deepak m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali दीपक, Bengali দীপক, Gujarati દીપક, Gurmukhi ਦੀਪਕ, Malayalam ദീപക്, Kannada ದೀಪಕ್, Tamil தீபக் or Telugu దీపక్ (see Dipak).
Deepika f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दीपिका, Kannada ದೀಪಿಕಾ, Malayalam ദീപിക, Tamil தீபிகா or Telugu దీపికా (see Dipika).
Deepti f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दीप्ती or Kannada ದೀಪ್ತಿ (see Dipti).
Devaki f Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
From Sanskrit देवक (devaka) meaning "divine, celestial", a derivative of देव (deva) meaning "god". According to the Hindu epic the Mahabharata she was the wife of Vasudeva and the mother of Krishna.
Devaraj m Kannada
Modern form of Devaraja.
Devi f Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess". This name can be used to refer to Mahadevi.
Dharma m Hindi, Telugu, Nepali
Means "that which is established, law, duty, virtue" in Sanskrit.
Dileep m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दिलीप, Malayalam ദിലീപ്, Kannada ದಿಲೀಪ್, Tamil திலீப் or Telugu దిలీప్ (see Dilip).
Dipa f Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit दीप (dīpa) meaning "light, lamp".
Dipti f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
From Sanskrit दीपति (dīpti) meaning "brightness, light".
Divya f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "divine, heavenly" in Sanskrit.
Durai m Tamil
Means "chief, leader" in Tamil.
Durga f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, Telugu
Means "unattainable, unassailable" in Sanskrit. Durga is a Hindu warrior goddess, usually depicted with multiple arms and riding on the back of a lion or tiger. The Puranas relate that she came into being to combat the buffalo demon Mahishasura. She is sometimes considered a fierce aspect of Parvati the wife of Shiva. In Shaktism she is viewed as a principal aspect of the supreme goddess Mahadevi.
Ezhil m & f Tamil
Means "beauty" in Tamil.
Fathima f Indian (Muslim), Malayalam, Sinhalese
Form of Fatima used by South Indian and Sri Lankan Muslims.
Ganga f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Telugu
From Sanskrit गङ्गा (Gaṅgā), the name of the Ganges River, derived from गम् (gam) meaning "to go". In Hindu tradition this is a personification of the river, typically depicted as a fair-skinned goddess riding a sea creature. As a given name, it is used by males as well.
Gayathri f Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu
South Indian variant of Gayatri.
Geetha f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
South Indian form of Gita 1.
Geevarghese m Malayalam (Rare)
Malayalam form of George, used by Saint Thomas Christians in the Indian state of Kerala (mainly when referring to the saint).
Gopinath m Tamil, Malayalam
Tamil and Malayalam form of Gopinatha.
Govinda m Hinduism, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada
Means "cow finder", derived from Sanskrit गो (go) meaning "cow" combined with विन्द (vinda) meaning "finding". This is an epithet of the Hindu god Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.
Gowri f Tamil, Kannada
South Indian form of Gauri.
Hari m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali
Means "brown, yellow, tawny" in Sanskrit, and by extension "monkey, horse, lion". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu, and sometimes of his avatar Krishna. In this context it is sometimes considered a derivative of Sanskrit हृ (hṛ) meaning "to take away", referring to the removal of sins.
Harish m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
From the name Hari (an epithet of Vishnu) combined with Sanskrit ईश (īśa) meaning "lord".
Harisha m & f Kannada, Telugu
Variant and feminine form of Harish.
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit
Means "happiness" in Sanskrit. Harsha (or Harṣa, also called Harshavardhana) was a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Hema f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada
Means "golden" in Sanskrit.
Indira f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Lakshmi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu. A notable bearer was India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984).
Indumathi f Tamil
From Sanskrit इन्दुमत् (indumat) meaning "full moon".
Jagadish m Kannada, Telugu
Modern form of Jagadisha.
Jai 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi जय (see Jay 2), as well as a Tamil masculine form of Jaya.
Jaya f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory". In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form जया (long final vowel) and the masculine form जय (short final vowel), both of which are used as names or epithets for several characters in Hindu texts. As a modern personal name, this transcription is both feminine and masculine in southern India, but typically only feminine in the north.
Jayadev m Kannada
Modern form of Jayadeva.
Jayanthi f Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Jayanti.
Jothi f & m Tamil
Tamil form of Jyoti.
Jyothi f & m Telugu, Malayalam
Telugu and Malayalam form of Jyoti.
Kala 1 f Tamil
Means "art form, virtue" in Sanskrit.
Kali 1 f & m Hinduism, Bengali, Tamil
Means "the black one", derived from Sanskrit काल (kāla) meaning "black". The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva. According to stories in the Puranas, she springs from the forehead of Durga in order to defeat various demons. She is typically depicted with black skin and four arms, holding a severed head and brandishing a sword. As a personal name, it is generally masculine in India.
Kalpana f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Kalyan m Hindi, Bengali, Telugu
From Sanskrit कल्याण (kalyāṇa) meaning "beautiful, lovely, auspicious".
Kalyana m Telugu
Variant of Kalyan.
Kalyani f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "beautiful, lovely, auspicious" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. In Tantric Hinduism and Shaktism this is the name of a goddess, also identified with the goddess Lakshmi.
Kamatchi f Tamil
Tamil form of Kamakshi.
Kanchana f Tamil, Thai
From Sanskrit कञ्चन (kañcana) meaning "golden".
Kannan m Tamil
Tamil form of Krishna.
Karthik m Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Kartik.
Karthika f Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian feminine form of Kartik.
Karuna f & m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Telugu
From Sanskrit करुणा (karuṇā) meaning "compassion, mercy".
Kasi f Telugu, Tamil
Southern Indian form of Kashi.
Kavitha f Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
South Indian form of Kavita.
Kiran f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Gujarati, Nepali, Urdu
Derived from Sanskrit किरण (kiraṇa), which can mean "dust" or "thread" or "sunbeam".
Kishor m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit किशोर (kiśora) meaning "colt".
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Krishna m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) meaning "black, dark". This is the name of a Hindu deity believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu. According to the Mahabharata and the Puranas he was the youngest of King Vasudeva's eight sons by Devaki, six of whom were killed by King Kamsa because of a prophecy that a child of Vasudeva would kill Kamsa. However, Krishna and his brother Balarama were saved and he eventually fulfilled the prophecy by slaying the evil king. He then helped the Pandavas defeat the Kauravas in the Mahabharata War. His philosophical conversation with the Pandava leader Arjuna forms the text of the important Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita.... [more]
Kumaran m Tamil, Malayalam
Tamil and Malayalam variant of Kumara.
Kumari f Hinduism, Hindi, Telugu
Feminine form of Kumara. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata Kumari is the wife of the warrior Bhima. This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.
Lakshmi f & m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Odia
Means "sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.
Lalitha f Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lalita.
Lavanya f Hindi, Telugu, Tamil
From Sanskrit लावण्य (lāvaṇya) meaning "beauty, loveliness, charm".
Laxman m Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मण or Telugu లక్ష్మణ్ (see Lakshman).
Laxmi f & m Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Telugu లక్ష్మి or Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मी (see Lakshmi), as well as the most common Nepali transcription.
Leela f Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Leelavathi f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lilavati.
Madhav m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Nepali
Modern form of Madhava.
Madhavi f Hinduism, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi
Feminine form of Madhava. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Madhu f & m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu
From Sanskrit मधु (madhu) meaning "honey, sweet". This is another name of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu year (which occurs in March and April).
Madhuri f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
From Sanskrit माधुर (mādhura) meaning "sweetness", a derivative of मधु (madhu) meaning "honey, sweet".
Mahadevi f Hinduism, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi
Means "great goddess", derived from Sanskrit महा (mahā) meaning "great" and देवी (devī) meaning "goddess". This is the Hindu mother goddess who manifests herself as all other goddesses.
Mani 1 m Hinduism, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada
Means "jewel" in Sanskrit. This name is mentioned briefly in the Mahabharata belonging to both a giant serpent and an attendant of Skanda.
Manish m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil, Nepali
From Sanskrit मनीषा (manīṣā) meaning "thought, wisdom".
Manju f Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu
From Sanskrit मञ्जु (mañju) meaning "lovely, beautiful".
Manjula f Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam
From Sanskrit मञ्जुल (mañjula) meaning "pleasing, beautiful".
Manu 1 m Hinduism, Hindi, Kannada
Means "thinking, wise" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is a title of Swayambhuva, the progenitor of the human race, as well as several of his descendants.
Meena f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीना or Tamil மீனா (see Mina 2).
Meenakshi f Hinduism, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Sanskrit मीनाक्षी (see Minakshi).
Meera f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Mina 2 f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
From Sanskrit मीन (mīna) meaning "fish", which in Hindu astrology is the name of a sign of the zodiac.
Mira 1 f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit मीर (mīra) meaning "sea, ocean". This was the name of a 16th-century Indian princess who devoted her life to the god Krishna.
Mohan m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Modern masculine form of Mohana.
Murali m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi
Means "flute" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, given to him because he played the flute.
Murugan m Hinduism, Tamil
From a Tamil word meaning "young". This was the name of a Tamil war god who is now identified with Skanda.
Nagendra m Hinduism, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lord of snakes" from Sanskrit नाग (nāga) meaning "snake" (also "elephant") combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Vasuki, the king of snakes, in Hindu mythology.
Nalini f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
From Sanskrit नलिनी (nalinī) meaning "lotus".
Namrata f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit नम्रता (namratā) meaning "bowing, humility".
Nanda m & f Hinduism, Buddhism, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Nepali, Burmese, Hindi, Marathi
Means "joy" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form नन्द and the feminine form नन्दा (spelled with a long final vowel).... [more]
Narasimha m Hinduism, Telugu
Means "man-lion", derived from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with सिंह (siṃha) meaning "lion". This is the name of a lion-headed avatar of the god Vishnu who kills the evil king Hiranyakashipu.
Narayana m Hinduism, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Possibly from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" and अयन (ayana) meaning "path". In Hindu creation legends this is the name of an eternal god who created the universe. He is considered an incarnation of Vishnu (or sometimes Brahma). According to the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana Narayana and his brother Nara were sages.
Narayanan m Malayalam, Tamil
Malayalam and Tamil variant of Narayana.
Narendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu
Means "lord of men" from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord".
Naveen m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नवीन, Kannada ನವೀನ್, Telugu నవీన్, Tamil நவீன் or Malayalam നവീൻ (see Navin).
Navin m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
From Sanskrit नव (nava) meaning "new, fresh".
Neela f Tamil, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Tamil நீலா or Hindi नीला (see Nila).
Neelima f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Marathi/Hindi नीलिमा or Telugu నీలిమ (see Nilima).
Neha f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Nikhil m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit निखिल (nikhila) meaning "whole, entire".
Nikhila f Telugu, Hindi
Feminine form of Nikhil.
Nikitha f Telugu, Tamil
Southern Indian variant of Nikita 2.
Nila f Tamil, Hindi, Indonesian, Burmese
From Sanskrit नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Nilima f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
From Sanskrit नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Nirmal m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
From Sanskrit निर्मल (nirmala) meaning "clean, pure".
Nirupama f Hindi, Kannada
Means "unequaled, matchless" in Sanskrit.
Nithin m Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian variant of Nitin.
Nithya f Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Nitya.
Nitin m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit नीति (nīti) meaning "guidance, moral conduct".
Padma f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form पद्मा and the masculine form पद्म.... [more]
Padmini f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".
Pallavi f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Feminine form of Pallav.
Pavan m Hindi, Nepali, Telugu, Kannada
Modern form of Pavana.
Pooja f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali पूजा, Gujarati પૂજા, Bengali পূজা, Gurmukhi ਪੂਜਾ, Telugu పూజా, Malayalam പൂജ, Tamil பூஜா or Kannada ಪೂಜಾ (see Puja).
Poornima f Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Tamil பூர்ணிமா, Kannada ಪೂರ್ಣಿಮಾ or Hindi/Marathi पूर्णिमा (see Purnima).
Prabhu m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada
Means "mighty, powerful, master" in Sanskrit. In the Rigveda this is an epithet of both the Hindu gods Surya and Agni.
Pradip m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Prakash m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रकाश (prakāśa) meaning "light, bright, shining".
Pramod m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
Modern form of Pramoda.
Prasad m Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Odia, Bengali, Nepali
From Sanskrit प्रसाद (prasāda) meaning "brightness, clearness, graciousness, offering". This is a word referring to an offering of food made to a deity.
Prasanna m Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Odia, Hindi
Means "clear, bright, tranquil" in Sanskrit.
Prashanth m Tamil
Tamil form of Prashant.
Praveena f Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Pravina.
Pravina f Marathi, Tamil
Feminine form of Pravin.
Preethi f Kannada, Tamil
South Indian form of Priti.
Prem m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit प्रेम (prema) meaning "love, affection".
Prema f Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Nepali, Hindi
Feminine form of Prem.
Priya f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
Means "beloved" in Sanskrit. It appears briefly in the Puranas belonging to a daughter of King Daksha.
Priyanka f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit प्रियंकर (priyaṃkara) meaning "agreeable, amiable".
Puja f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
From Sanskrit पूजा (pūjā) meaning "honour, worship". This is the name of a Hindu ritual of reverence.
Purnima f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā) meaning "full moon".
Pushpa f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
From Sanskrit पुष्प (puṣpa) meaning "flower". This is a transcription of both the feminine form पुष्पा and the masculine form पुष्प. Especially in Nepal it is frequently masculine.
Radha f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi
Means "success, prosperity" in Sanskrit. This was the name of the favourite consort of the Hindu deity Krishna. She is associated with beauty and compassion, and is considered an avatar of Lakshmi.
Radhika f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Used in Hindu scripture as an endearing form of Radha.
Raghu m Hinduism, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "swift" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a heroic king in Hindu epics, the great-grandfather of Rama.
Raj m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "empire, royalty", from Sanskrit राज्य (rājya).
Raja 2 m Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, Indonesian
Means "king, ruler", from Sanskrit राजन् (rājan).
Rajani f & m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Means "dark, night" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.
Rajeev m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali राजीव, Malayalam രാജീവ് or Tamil ராஜிவ் (see Rajiv).
Rajendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Nepali
Means "lord of kings", derived from Sanskrit राज (rāja) meaning "king" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This was the name of two 11th-century rulers of the Chola Empire in southern India.
Rajesh m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "ruler of kings" from Sanskrit राज (rāja) meaning "king" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler".
Rajiv m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
From Sanskrit राजीव (rājīva) meaning "striped". This is used to refer to the blue lotus in Hindu texts.
Rakesh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Means "lord of the full moon" from Sanskrit राका (rākā) meaning "full moon" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler".
Rama 1 m Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam
Means "pleasing, beautiful" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of an incarnation of the god Vishnu. He is the hero of the Ramayana, a Hindu epic, which tells of the abduction of his wife Sita by the demon king Ravana, and his efforts to recapture her.... [more]
Ramachandra m Hinduism, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Derived from the name of the Hindu deity Rama 1 combined with Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra) meaning "moon". This is another name of Rama.
Ramakrishna m Telugu, Kannada
Combination of the names of the Hindu deities Rama 1 and Krishna. This name was borne by the Hindu religious teacher Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886).
Ramana m Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit रमण (ramaṇa) meaning "pleasing, delightful". This is an epithet of the Hindu love god Kama or the solar charioteer Aruna.
Rambabu m Telugu
Means "father Rama" from the name of the Hindu deity Rama 1 combined with Telugu బాబు (bābu) meaning "father".
Rashmi f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
From Sanskrit रश्मि (raśmi) meaning "ray of sunlight, rope, cord".
Rathna f & m Tamil
Southern Indian variant of Ratna.
Ratna f & m Hindi, Telugu, Nepali, Indonesian
Derived from Sanskrit रत्न (ratna) meaning "jewel, treasure". This is a transcription of both the feminine form रत्ना and the masculine form रत्न.
Ratnam m & f Telugu
Southern Indian variant of Ratna.
Ravi m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Odia, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Nepali
Means "sun" in Sanskrit. Ravi is a Hindu god of the sun, sometimes equated with Surya. A famous bearer was the musician Ravi Shankar (1920-2012).
Ravindra m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada
Means "lord of the sun" from Sanskrit रवि (ravi) meaning "sun" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for the Hindu god Surya.
Reshma f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu
From Hindi रेशम (resham) meaning "silk", ultimately of Persian origin.
Richa f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Bengali
From Sanskrit ऋच (ṛc) meaning "praise, verse, sacred text".
Rohan 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit रोहण (rohaṇa) meaning "ascension".
Rohit m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit रोहित (rohita) meaning "red".
Rukmini f Hinduism, Marathi, Kannada
Means "adorned with gold" in Sanskrit. According to the Hindu epic the Mahabharata and the Puranas this was the name of a princess of Vidarbha who became the first wife of Krishna. She is regarded as an avatar of Lakshmi.
Sachin m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit सत् (sat) meaning "existence, essence". A famous bearer is the retired Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar (1973-).
Sameera 2 f Telugu, Marathi, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Telugu సమీరా or Marathi/Hindi समीरा (see Samira 2).
Samira 2 f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Feminine form of Samir 2.
Sampath m Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sinhalese
From Sanskrit सम्पत्ति (sampatti) meaning "success, wealth".
Sandhya f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam
Means "twilight" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu goddess of twilight, a daughter of Brahma.
Sanjeev m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi संजीव, Gujarati સંજીવ, Gurmukhi ਸੰਜੀਵ, Telugu సంజీవ్ or Kannada ಸಂಜೀವ್ (see Sanjiv).
Sanjiv m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit संजीव (saṃjīva) meaning "living, reviving".
Sankar m Malayalam, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Malayalam ശങ്കർ or Bengali শংকর (see Shankar).
Sarala f Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Feminine form of Saral.
Sashi m & f Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಶಶಿ (see Shashi).
Satyavati f Hinduism, Hindi, Telugu
Means "truthful", derived from Sanskrit सत्य (satya) meaning "true, real" and the suffix वती (vatī) meaning "having". In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata she is a commoner who becomes the wife of Shantanu, king of Hastinapura.
Seetha f Tamil
Tamil form of Sita. The name of the mythological figures is சீதை, while சீதா is the spelling used for people.
Sekar m Tamil
Tamil form of Shekhar.
Sekhar m Telugu, Bengali
Telugu and Bengali form of Shekhar.
Shailaja f Hinduism, Telugu
Means "daughter of the mountain" in Sanskrit, from शैल (śaila) meaning "mountain" and (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Shanthi f Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Shanti.
Sharmila f Tamil, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शर्मन् (śarman) meaning "protection, comfort, joy".
Shashi m & f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu
Traditional name for the moon, it literally means "having a hare" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form शशि and the feminine form शशी (spelled with a long final vowel).
Sheela f Marathi, Kannada, Hindi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Shila.
Shiva 1 m Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit शिव (śiva) meaning "benign, kind, auspicious". Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction and restoration, the husband of the mother goddess Parvati. Though he does not appear in the Vedas, Shiva nevertheless incorporates elements of Vedic deities such as the storm god Rudra. He is often depicted with four arms and a third eye, and has both fierce and gentle aspects.... [more]
Shobha f Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शोभा (śobhā) meaning "brilliance".
Shyam m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Nepali
Modern masculine form of Shyama.
Shyamala f Tamil, Telugu, Marathi
Feminine form of Shyamal.
Siva m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Tamil சிவா, Telugu శివ, Kannada ಶಿವ or Malayalam ശിവ (see Shiva 1).
Sneha f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "love, tenderness" in Sanskrit.
Sree m & f Telugu, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Telugu శ్రీ or Tamil ஸ்ரீ (see Sri).
Sri m & f Telugu, Tamil, Indonesian
Indonesian and southern Indian form of Shri. It is sometimes a short form of longer names containing this element.
Srinivas m Telugu, Kannada, Tamil
Southern Indian form of Shrinivas.
Subrahmanya m Hinduism, Telugu
From the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" and ब्रह्मन् (brahman) meaning "devout worshipper". This is another name for the Hindu god Skanda.
Subramaniam m Tamil
Tamil variant of Subrahmanya.
Subramanian m Tamil
Tamil variant of Subrahmanya.
Sudarshan m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
Means "beautiful, good-looking" in Sanskrit, derived from the prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with दर्शन (darśana) meaning "seeing, observing".
Sudheer m Telugu, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Telugu సుధీర్ or Kannada ಸುಧೀರ್ (see Sudhir).
Sudhir m Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu
Derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with धीर (dhīra) meaning "wise, considerate".
Sujatha f Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Sinhalese
South Indian and Sinhala form of Sujata.
Suman m & f Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
Means "well-disposed, good mind", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with मनस् (manas) meaning "mind".
Sundar m Tamil, Hindi
Modern form of Sundara.
Sunder m Hindi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi सुन्दर or Tamil சுந்தர் (see Sundar).
Sunil m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Sunitha f Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Sunita.
Surendra m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Nepali
Means "lord of gods" from Sanskrit सुर (sura) meaning "god" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Indra.
Suriya m Thai, Tamil
Thai form of Surya, as well as an alternate Tamil transcription.
Surya m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Vedic Hindu god of the sun who rides a chariot across the sky.
Swapna f Telugu, Marathi
From Sanskrit स्वप्न (svapna) meaning "sleep, dream".
Swarna m & f Telugu, Hindi
Means "good colour" or "golden", a contraction of the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" and वर्ण (varṇa) meaning "colour". This is a transcription of both the masculine form स्वर्ण and the feminine form स्वर्णा (spelled with a long final vowel).
Swathi f Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Swati.
Thamarai f Tamil
Means "lotus" in Tamil.
Uma f Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
Means "flax" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati. In Hindu texts it is said to derive from the Sanskrit exclamation उ मा (u mā) meaning "O do not (practice austerities)!", which was addressed to Parvati by her mother.
Usha f Hinduism, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Variant of Ushas. According to the Hindu text the Bhagavata Purana this was the name of a daughter of the demon king Bana who married Aniruddha, the grandson of the Hindu deity Krishna.
Vaishnavi f Hinduism, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi
Derived from the name of the Hindu god Vishnu, meaning "belonging to Vishnu". This is the name of the shakti (power) of Vishnu, identified with the goddess Lakshmi.
Varghese m Malayalam
Short form of Geevarghese, used independently.
Varsha f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil
From Sanskrit वर्ष (varṣa) meaning "rain".
Vasu m Hinduism, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi
Means "excellent, good, wealthy, bright" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the Hindu gods, in particular the eight elemental deities who are attendants of Indra. It is also borne by several other characters in Hindu legend.
Vasundhara f Hindi, Telugu
Means "possessor of wealth" in Sanskrit, used to refer to the earth.
Veda f Telugu, Kannada
Means "knowledge" in Sanskrit.
Venkata m Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
From the name of a sacred hill in Andhra Pradesh in southern India. It is the home of the Venkateswara Temple, a pilgrimage site for Hindus.