Kannada Names

Kannada names are used in western India. See also about Indian names.
gender
usage
Abhinav ಅಭಿನವ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu
From Sanskrit अभिनव (abhinava) meaning "young, fresh".
Abhishek ಅಭಿಷೇಕ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit अभिषेक (abhiṣeka) meaning "anointing".
Aditi ಅದಿತಿ 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 ಆದಿತ್ಯ 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 ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯಾ 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 ಅಜಯ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "unconquered", from Sanskrit (a) meaning "not" and जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest".
Akshay ಅಕ್ಷಯ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
From Sanskrit अक्षय (akṣaya) meaning "undecaying, imperishable".
Amit 1 ಅಮಿತ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
From Sanskrit अमित (amita) meaning "immeasurable, infinite".
Anand ಆನಂದ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati
Modern form of Ananda.
Ananth ಅನಂತ್ m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anantha ಅನಂತ m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anil ಅನಿಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit अनिल (anila) meaning "air, wind".
Anuradha ಅನುರಾಧಾ 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 ಅಪರ್ಣಾ 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 ಅರವಿಂದ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit अरविन्द (aravinda) meaning "lotus".
Aravinda ಅರವಿಂದ m Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಅರವಿಂದ (see Aravind).
Archana ಅರ್ಚನ f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit अर्चन (arcana) meaning "honouring, praising". This is the name of a Hindu ritual.
Arjun ಅರ್ಜುನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Nepali
Modern form of Arjuna.
Aruna ಅರುಣ 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.
Asha 1 ಆಶಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit आशा (āśā) meaning "wish, desire, hope".
Ashish ಆಶಿಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit आशिष (āśiṣa) meaning "prayer, blessing".
Ashok ಅಶೋಕ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Modern form of Ashoka.
Ashwin ಅಶ್ವಿನ್ 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.
Avinash ಅವಿನಾಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit अविनाश (avināśa) meaning "indestructible".
Balakrishna ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣ m Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit बाल (bāla) meaning "young" combined with the name of the Hindu god Krishna.
Bhaskar ಭಾಸ್ಕರ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada
Modern form of Bhaskara.
Bhavana ಭಾವನಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Bhavna ಭಾವನಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi भावना, Kannada ಭಾವನಾ or Malayalam ഭാവന (see Bhavana).
Chandana ಚಂದನ f & m Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhalese
Feminine form of Chandan, as well as the Sinhala masculine form.
Chandra ಚಂದ್ರ 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 ಚಂದ್ರಶೇಖಾರ್ 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 ಚೇತನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
From Sanskrit चेतन (cetana) meaning "visible, conscious, soul".
Darshan ದರ್ಶನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
From Sanskrit दर्शन (darśana) meaning "seeing, observing, understanding".
Deepak ದೀಪಕ್ 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 ದೀಪಿಕಾ 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 ದೀಪ್ತಿ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दीप्ती or Kannada ದೀಪ್ತಿ (see Dipti).
Devaki ದೇವಕಿ 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 ದೇವರಾಜ್ m Kannada
Modern form of Devaraja.
Dileep ದಿಲೀಪ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दिलीप, Malayalam ദിലീപ്, Kannada ದಿಲೀಪ್, Tamil திலீப் or Telugu దిలీప్ (see Dilip).
Dilip ದಿಲೀಪ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Modern form of Dilipa.
Dipak ದೀಪಕ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Modern form of Dipaka.
Dipika ದೀಪಿಕಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Feminine form of Dipaka.
Dipti ದೀಪ್ತಿ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
From Sanskrit दीपति (dīpti) meaning "brightness, light".
Divya ದಿವ್ಯಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "divine, heavenly" in Sanskrit.
Ganesh ಗಣೇಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Bengali, Nepali
Modern form of Ganesha.
Gayathri ಗಾಯತ್ರಿ f Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu
South Indian variant of Gayatri.
Geetha ಗೀತಾ f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
South Indian form of Gita 1.
Girish ಗಿರೀಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Modern form of Girisha.
Gopal ಗೋಪಾಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Gopala.
Govind ಗೋವಿಂದ m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada
Modern form of Govinda.
Govinda ಗೋವಿಂದ 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 ಗೌರಿ f Tamil, Kannada
South Indian form of Gauri.
Hari ಹರಿ 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 ಹರೀಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
From the name Hari (an epithet of Vishnu) combined with Sanskrit ईश (īśa) meaning "lord".
Harisha ಹರೀಶ m & f Kannada, Telugu
Variant and feminine form of Harish.
Harsha ಹರ್ಷ 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 ಹೇಮಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada
Means "golden" in Sanskrit.
Indira ಇಂದಿರಾ 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).
Jagadish ಜಗದೀಶ್ m Kannada, Telugu
Modern form of Jagadisha.
Jayadev ಜಯದೆವ m Kannada
Modern form of Jayadeva.
Jayanthi ಜಯಂತಿ f Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Jayanti.
Kalpana ಕಲ್ಪನಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Kalyani ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಿ f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "beautiful, lovely, auspicious" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Kamal 2 ಕಮಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Nepali, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
Modern masculine form of Kamala.
Kamala ಕಮಲಾ 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.
Kavitha ಕವಿತಾ f Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
South Indian form of Kavita.
Kiran ಕಿರಣ್ f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Gujarati, Nepali, Urdu
Derived from Sanskrit किरण (kiraṇa), which can mean "dust" or "thread" or "sunbeam".
Krishna ಕೃಷ್ಣ 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]
Kumar ಕುಮಾರ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Kumara.
Lakshmi ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ 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.
Leela ಲೀಲಾ f Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Leelavathi ಲೀಲಾವತಿ f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lilavati.
Madhu ಮಧು 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 ಮಾಧುರಿ f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
From Sanskrit माधुर (mādhura) meaning "sweetness", a derivative of मधु (madhu) meaning "honey, sweet".
Mahadevi ಮಹಾದೇವಿ 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.
Mahesh ಮಹೇಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Mahesha.
Mani 1 ಮಣಿ 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.
Manoj ಮನೋಜ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada
Modern form of Manoja.
Manu 1 ಮನು 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.
Meera ಮೀರಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Mira 1 ಮೀರಾ 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 ಮೋಹನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Modern masculine form of Mohana.
Murali ಮುರಳಿ 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.
Nagendra ನಾಗೇಂದ್ರ 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 ನಳಿನಿ f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
From Sanskrit नलिनी (nalinī) meaning "lotus".
Nanda ನಂದ 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]
Narayana ನಾರಾಯಣ 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.
Naveen ನವೀನ್ 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 ನವೀನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
From Sanskrit नव (nava) meaning "new, fresh".
Neha ನೇಹಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Nikhil ನಿಖಿಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit निखिल (nikhila) meaning "whole, entire".
Nirmal ನಿರ್ಮಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
From Sanskrit निर्मल (nirmala) meaning "clean, pure".
Nirmala ನಿರ್ಮಲಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali, Indonesian
Feminine form of Nirmal.
Nirupama ನಿರುಪಮ f Hindi, Kannada
Means "unequaled, matchless" in Sanskrit.
Nisha ನಿಶಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Nepali
From Sanskrit निशा (niśā) meaning "night".
Nithin ನಿತಿನ್ m Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian variant of Nitin.
Nithya ನಿತ್ಯ f Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Nitya.
Nitin ನಿತಿನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit नीति (nīti) meaning "guidance, moral conduct".
Padma ಪದ್ಮಾ 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 ಪದ್ಮಿನಿ f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".
Pallavi ಪಲ್ಲವಿ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Feminine form of Pallav.
Pavan ಪವನ್ m Hindi, Nepali, Telugu, Kannada
Modern form of Pavana.
Pooja ಪೂಜಾ 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 ಪೂರ್ಣಿಮಾ f Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Tamil பூர்ணிமா, Kannada ಪೂರ್ಣಿಮಾ or Hindi/Marathi पूर्णिमा (see Purnima).
Prabhakar ಪ್ರಭಾಕರ್ m Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Hindi
Modern form of Prabhakara.
Prabhu ಪ್ರಭು 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.
Pradeep ಪ್ರದೀಪ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi प्रदीप, Bengali প্রদিপ, Malayalam പ്രദീപ്, Kannada ಪ್ರದೀಪ್, Telugu ప్రదీప్, Tamil பிரதீப் or Nepali प्रदिप (see Pradip).
Pradip ಪ್ರದೀಪ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Prakash ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रकाश (prakāśa) meaning "light, bright, shining".
Pramod ಪ್ರಮೋದ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
Modern form of Pramoda.
Prasad ಪ್ರಸಾದ್ 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 ಪ್ರಸನ್ನ m Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Odia, Hindi
Means "clear, bright, tranquil" in Sanskrit.
Praveen ಪ್ರವೀಣ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi प्रवीण, Gujarati પ્રવીણ, Kannada ಪ್ರವೀಣ್, Telugu ప్రవీణ్, Tamil பிரவீண் or Malayalam പ്രവീൺ (see Pravin).
Praveena ಪ್ರವೀಣಾ f Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Pravina.
Pravin ಪ್ರವೀಣ್ m Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
From Sanskrit प्रवीण (pravīṇa) meaning "skilled".
Preethi ಪ್ರೀತಿ f Kannada, Tamil
South Indian form of Priti.
Prem ಪ್ರೇಂ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit प्रेम (prema) meaning "love, affection".
Prema ಪ್ರೇಮಾ f Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Nepali, Hindi
Feminine form of Prem.
Priya ಪ್ರಿಯಾ 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 ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit प्रियंकर (priyaṃkara) meaning "agreeable, amiable".
Puja ಪೂಜಾ 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 ಪೂರ್ಣಿಮಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā) meaning "full moon".
Pushpa ಪುಷ್ಪಾ 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 ರಾಧಾ 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 ರಾಧಿಕಾ f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Used in Hindu scripture as an endearing form of Radha.
Raghu ರಘು 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.
Rahul ರಾಹುಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Modern form of Rahula.
Raj ರಾಜ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "empire, royalty", from Sanskrit राज्य (rājya).
Raja 2 ರಾಜಾ m Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, Indonesian
Means "king, ruler", from Sanskrit राजन् (rājan).
Rajani ರಜನಿ f & m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Means "dark, night" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.
Rajesh ರಾಜೇಶ್ 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".
Rakesh ರಾಕೇಶ್ 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".
Ram 2 ರಾಮ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Rama 1.
Rama 1 ರಾಮ 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 ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ 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 ರಾಮಕೃಷ್ಣ 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).
Raman 1 ರಾಮನ್ m Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada
Variant of Rama 1.
Ramesh ರಮೇಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Nepali
Modern transcription of Ramesha.
Rashmi ರಷ್ಮಿ f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
From Sanskrit रश्मि (raśmi) meaning "ray of sunlight, rope, cord".
Ravi ರವಿ 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 ರವೀಂದ್ರ 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.
Rohan 1 ರೋಹನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit रोहण (rohaṇa) meaning "ascension".
Rohit ರೋಹಿತ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit रोहित (rohita) meaning "red".
Rukmini ರುಕ್ಮಿಣಿ 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.
Sampath ಸಂಪತ್ m Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sinhalese
From Sanskrit सम्पत्ति (sampatti) meaning "success, wealth".
Sandeep ಸಂದೀಪ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi संदीप, Bengali সন্দীপ, Gurmukhi ਸੰਦੀਪ, Gujarati સંદિપ, Kannada ಸಂದೀಪ್, Malayalam സന്ദീപ്, Telugu సందీప్, Tamil சந்தீப் or Nepali सन्दीप (see Sandip).
Sandhya ಸಂಧ್ಯಾ 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.
Sandip ಸಂದೀಪ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
From Sanskrit सन्दीप् (sandīp) meaning "to blaze, to burn".
Sanjay ಸಂಜಯ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Modern form of Sanjaya.
Sanjeev ಸಂಜೀವ್ 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 ಸಂಜೀವ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit संजीव (saṃjīva) meaning "living, reviving".
Sarala ಸರಳಾ f Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Feminine form of Saral.
Sashi ಶಶಿ m & f Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಶಶಿ (see Shashi).
Satish ಸತೀಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu
Modern form of Satisha.
Shankar ಶಂಕರ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Nepali
Modern transcription of Shankara.
Shanthi ಶಾಂತಿ f Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Shanti.
Shashi ಶಶಿ 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 ಶೀಲಾ f Marathi, Kannada, Hindi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Shila.
Shiva 1 ಶಿವ 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 ಶೋಭಾ f Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शोभा (śobhā) meaning "brilliance".
Shyam ಶ್ಯಾಮ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Nepali
Modern masculine form of Shyama.
Siva ಶಿವ m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Tamil சிவா, Telugu శివ, Kannada ಶಿವ or Malayalam ശിവ (see Shiva 1).
Sneha ಸ್ನೇಹ f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "love, tenderness" in Sanskrit.
Srinivas ಶ್ರೀನಿವಾಸ್ m Telugu, Kannada, Tamil
Southern Indian form of Shrinivas.
Sudarshan ಸುದರ್ಶನ್ 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 ಸುಧೀರ್ m Telugu, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Telugu సుధీర్ or Kannada ಸುಧೀರ್ (see Sudhir).
Sudhir ಸುಧೀರ್ m Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu
Derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with धीर (dhīra) meaning "wise, considerate".
Suman ಸುಮನ್ 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".
Sunil ಸುನಿಲ್ 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 ಸುನಿತಾ f Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Sunita.
Suresh ಸುರೇಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Suresha.
Surya ಸೂರ್ಯ 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.
Uma ಉಮಾ 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 ಉಷಾ 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.
Vasu ವಾಸು 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.
Veda ವೇದ f Telugu, Kannada
Means "knowledge" in Sanskrit.
Venkat ವೆಂಕಟ್ m Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Variant of Venkata.
Venkata ವೆಂಕಟ 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.
Vidya ವಿದ್ಯಾ f Hinduism, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Means "knowledge, science, learning" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Saraswati.
Vijay ವಿಜಯ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi
Modern masculine form of Vijaya.
Vijaya ವಿಜಯ m & f Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi
Means "victory" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form विजय and the feminine form विजया, both of which occur as names or epithets in Hindu scripture. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century BC king of Sri Lanka.... [more]
Vikram ವಿಕ್ರಮ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
Modern form of Vikrama.
Vinay ವಿನಯ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit विनय (vinaya) meaning "leading, guidance, modesty".
Vishal ವಿಶಾಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit विशाल (viśāla) meaning "wide, broad, spacious".
Vishnu ವಿಷ್ಣು m Hinduism, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Marathi
Probably means "all-pervasive" in Sanskrit, from विष् (viṣ) meaning "to prevade, to spread through". The Hindu god Vishnu is the protector and preserver of the universe, usually depicted as four-armed and blue-skinned. His wife is Lakshmi. Though he appears in the Rigveda, he features more prominently in post-Vedic texts. The great heroes Krishna, Rama, Narasimha and others are regarded as avatars of Vishnu.... [more]
Vivek ವಿವೇಕ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali
From Sanskrit विवेक (viveka) meaning "wisdom, distinction, discrimination".
Yash ಯಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit यशस् (yaśas) meaning "fame, praise, glory".