Tamil Names

Tamil names are used in southern India and Sri Lanka. See also about Indian names.
gender
usage
Aarthi ஆர்த்தி f Tamil
Tamil form of Aarti.
Abhishek அபிஷேக் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit अभिषेक (abhiṣeka) meaning "anointing".
Aditya ஆதித்யா, ஆதித்ய 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 ஐசுவரியா 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 அஜய் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "unconquered", from Sanskrit (a) meaning "not" and जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest".
Ajith அஜித் m Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Ajita.
Amala அமலா f Tamil, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit अमल (amala) meaning "clean, pure".
Amit 1 அமித் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
From Sanskrit अमित (amita) meaning "immeasurable, infinite".
Anand ஆனந்த் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati
Modern form of Ananda.
Ananda ஆனந்த 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 அனந்த் m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anantha அனந்த m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anbu அன்பு m Tamil
Means "love" in Tamil.
Anil அனில் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit अनिल (anila) meaning "air, wind".
Anita 2 அனிதா f Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Tamil
Feminine form of Anit.
Anjali அஞ்சலி f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit अञ्जलि (añjali) meaning "salutation".
Anjana அஞ்சனா 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.
Anuradha அனுராதா 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 அபர்ணா 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 அரவிந்த் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit अरविन्द (aravinda) meaning "lotus".
Archana அர்ச்சனா f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit अर्चन (arcana) meaning "honouring, praising". This is the name of a Hindu ritual.
Arjun அர்ஜுன் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Nepali
Modern form of Arjuna.
Arun அருண் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Thai
Modern masculine form of Aruna.
Aruna அருணா 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.
Ashish அசிஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit आशिष (āśiṣa) meaning "prayer, blessing".
Ashok அசோக் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Modern form of Ashoka.
Ashwin அசுவின், அஸ்வின் 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.
Bala 1 பாலா m & f Tamil, Telugu, Hindi
Variant and feminine form of Bal.
Bharath பரத் m Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Bharata.
Chandra சந்திரா 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 சந்திரசேகர் 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.
Deepa தீபா 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 தீபக் 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 தீபிகா f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दीपिका, Kannada ದೀಪಿಕಾ, Malayalam ദീപിക, Tamil தீபிகா or Telugu దీపికా (see Dipika).
Devaki தேவகி 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.
Devi தேவி f Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess". This name can be used to refer to Mahadevi.
Dileep திலீப் 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 திலீப் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Modern form of Dilipa.
Dipa தீபா f Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit दीप (dīpa) meaning "light, lamp".
Dipak தீபக் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Modern form of Dipaka.
Dipika தீபிகா f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Feminine form of Dipaka.
Divya திவ்யா f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "divine, heavenly" in Sanskrit.
Durai துரை m Tamil
Means "chief, leader" in Tamil.
Ezhil எழில் m & f Tamil
Means "beauty" in Tamil.
Ganesh கணேஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Bengali, Nepali
Modern form of Ganesha.
Gayathri காயத்ரி f Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu
South Indian variant of Gayatri.
Geetha கீதா f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
South Indian form of Gita 1.
Gopal கோபால் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Gopala.
Gopinath கோபிநாத் m Tamil, Malayalam
Tamil and Malayalam form of Gopinatha.
Gowri கௌரி f Tamil, Kannada
South Indian form of Gauri.
Hari ஹரி 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 ஹரிஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
From the name Hari (an epithet of Vishnu) combined with Sanskrit ईश (īśa) meaning "lord".
Hema ஹேமா f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada
Means "golden" in Sanskrit.
Indira இந்திரா 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 இந்துமதி f Tamil
From Sanskrit इन्दुमत् (indumat) meaning "full moon".
Jai 1 ஜெய் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi जय (see Jay 2), as well as a Tamil masculine form of Jaya.
Jaya ஜெயா, ஜெய 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.
Jayanthi ஜெயந்தி f Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Jayanti.
Jothi ஜோதி f & m Tamil
Tamil form of Jyoti.
Kala 1 கலா f Tamil
Means "art form, virtue" in Sanskrit.
Kali 1 காளி 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 கல்பனா f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Kalyani கல்யாணி 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 கமல் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Nepali, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
Modern masculine form of Kamala.
Kamala கமலா 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 காமாட்சி f Tamil
Tamil form of Kamakshi.
Kanchana காஞ்சனா f Tamil, Thai
From Sanskrit कञ्चन (kañcana) meaning "golden".
Kannan கண்ணன் m Tamil
Tamil form of Krishna.
Karthik கார்த்திக் m Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Kartik.
Karthika கார்த்திகா f Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian feminine form of Kartik.
Karthikeyan கார்த்திகேயன் m Tamil, Hinduism
Tamil form of Kartikeya.
Kasi காசி f Telugu, Tamil
Southern Indian form of Kashi.
Kavitha கவிதா f Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
South Indian form of Kavita.
Kiran கிரண் 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 கிஷோர் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit किशोर (kiśora) meaning "colt".
Kishore கிஷோர் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Krishna கிருஷ்ணா 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 குமார் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Kumara.
Kumaran குமரன் m Tamil, Malayalam
Tamil and Malayalam variant of Kumara.
Lakshman லக்ஷ்மண் m Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi
Modern form of Lakshmana.
Lakshmi லட்சுமி 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 லலிதா f Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lalita.
Lavanya லாவண்யா f Hindi, Telugu, Tamil
From Sanskrit लावण्य (lāvaṇya) meaning "beauty, loveliness, charm".
Leela லீலா f Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Leelavathi லீலாவதி f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lilavati.
Madhu மது 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).
Mahesh மகேஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Mahesha.
Mani 1 மணி m Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Hinduism
Means "jewel" in Sanskrit. This name is mentioned briefly in the Mahabharata belonging to both a giant serpent and an attendant of Skanda.
Manish மணீஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil, Nepali
From Sanskrit मनीषा (manīṣā) meaning "thought, wisdom".
Manoj மனோஜ் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada
Modern form of Manoja.
Meena மீனா f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीना or Tamil மீனா (see Mina 2).
Meenakshi மீனாட்சி f Hinduism, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Sanskrit मीनाक्षी (see Minakshi).
Meera மீரா f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Mina 2 மீனா 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 மீரா 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 மோகன் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Modern masculine form of Mohana.
Murali முரளி 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 முருகன் m Hinduism, Tamil
From a Tamil word meaning "young". This was the name of a Tamil war god who is now identified with Skanda.
Nalini நளினி f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
From Sanskrit नलिनी (nalinī) meaning "lotus".
Nanda நந்தா 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 நாராயணா 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 நாராயணன் m Malayalam, Tamil
Malayalam and Tamil variant of Narayana.
Naveen நவீன் 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 நவீன் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
From Sanskrit नव (nava) meaning "new, fresh".
Neela நீலா f Tamil, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Tamil நீலா or Hindi नीला (see Nila).
Nikhil நிகில் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit निखिल (nikhila) meaning "whole, entire".
Nikitha நிகிதா f Telugu, Tamil
Southern Indian variant of Nikita 2.
Nila நீலா f Tamil, Hindi, Indonesian, Burmese
From Sanskrit नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Nirmal நிர்மல் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
From Sanskrit निर्मल (nirmala) meaning "clean, pure".
Nirmala நிர்மலா f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali, Indonesian
Feminine form of Nirmal.
Nisha நிஷா f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Nepali
From Sanskrit निशा (niśā) meaning "night".
Nithin நிதின் m Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian variant of Nitin.
Nithya நித்யா f Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Nitya.
Padma பத்மா 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 பத்மினி f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".
Pallavi பல்லவி f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Feminine form of Pallav.
Pooja பூஜா 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 பூர்ணிமா f Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Tamil பூர்ணிமா, Kannada ಪೂರ್ಣಿಮಾ or Hindi/Marathi पूर्णिमा (see Purnima).
Prabhakar பிரபாகர் m Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Hindi
Modern form of Prabhakara.
Prabhu பிரபு 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 பிரதீப் 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 பிரதீப் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Prakash பிரகாஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रकाश (prakāśa) meaning "light, bright, shining".
Prasad பிரசாத் 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 பிரசன்னா m Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Odia, Hindi
Means "clear, bright, tranquil" in Sanskrit.
Prashanth பிரசாந்த் m Tamil
Tamil form of Prashant.
Praveen பிரவீண் 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 பிரவீணா f Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Pravina.
Pravin பிரவீண் m Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
From Sanskrit प्रवीण (pravīṇa) meaning "skilled".
Pravina பிரவீணா f Marathi, Tamil
Feminine form of Pravin.
Preethi பிரீதி f Kannada, Tamil
South Indian form of Priti.
Prem பிரேம் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit प्रेम (prema) meaning "love, affection".
Prema பிரேமா f Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Nepali, Hindi
Feminine form of Prem.
Priya பிரியா 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 பிரியங்கா f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit प्रियंकर (priyaṃkara) meaning "agreeable, amiable".
Puja பூஜா 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 பூர்ணிமா f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā) meaning "full moon".
Pushpa புஷ்பா 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 ராதா 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 ராதிகா f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Used in Hindu scripture as an endearing form of Radha.
Rahul ராகுல் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Modern form of Rahula.
Raj ராஜ் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "empire, royalty", from Sanskrit राज्य (rājya).
Raja 2 ராஜா m Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, Indonesian
Means "king, ruler", from Sanskrit राजन् (rājan).
Rajeev ராஜிவ் m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali राजीव, Malayalam രാജീവ് or Tamil ராஜிவ் (see Rajiv).
Rajesh ராஜேஷ் 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 ராஜிவ் m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
From Sanskrit राजीव (rājīva) meaning "striped". This is used to refer to the blue lotus in Hindu texts.
Raju ராஜூ m Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Nepali
Variant of Raja 2.
Rakesh ராகேஷ் 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 ராம் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Rama 1.
Rama 1 ராமா 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 ராமசந்திர 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.
Raman 1 ராமன் m Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada
Variant of Rama 1.
Ramana ரமண 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.
Ramesh ரமேஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Nepali
Modern transcription of Ramesha.
Rashmi ராஷ்மி f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
From Sanskrit रश्मि (raśmi) meaning "ray of sunlight, rope, cord".
Rathna ரத்னா f & m Tamil
Southern Indian variant of Ratna.
Ravi ரவி 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).
Sampath சம்பத் m Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sinhalese
From Sanskrit सम्पत्ति (sampatti) meaning "success, wealth".
Sandeep சந்தீப் 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 சந்தியா 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 சந்தீப் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
From Sanskrit सन्दीप् (sandīp) meaning "to blaze, to burn".
Sanjay சஞ்சய் m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Modern form of Sanjaya.
Santhosh சந்தோஷ் m Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Santosh.
Sarala சரளா f Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Feminine form of Saral.
Seetha சீதா, சீதை f Tamil
Tamil form of Sita. The name of the mythological figures is சீதை, while சீதா is the spelling used for people.
Sekar சேகர் m Tamil
Tamil form of Shekhar.
Shankar சங்கர் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Nepali
Modern transcription of Shankara.
Shanthi சாந்தி f Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Shanti.
Sharmila சர்மிளா f Tamil, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शर्मन् (śarman) meaning "protection, comfort, joy".
Sheela ஷீலா f Marathi, Kannada, Hindi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Shila.
Shiva 1 சிவா 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]
Shyam சியாம் m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Nepali
Modern masculine form of Shyama.
Shyamala சியாமளா f Tamil, Telugu, Marathi
Feminine form of Shyamal.
Siva சிவா m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Tamil சிவா, Telugu శివ, Kannada ಶಿವ or Malayalam ശിവ (see Shiva 1).
Sree ஸ்ரீ m & f Telugu, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Telugu శ్రీ or Tamil ஸ்ரீ (see Sri).
Sri ஸ்ரீ m & f Telugu, Tamil, Indonesian
Indonesian and southern Indian form of Shri. It is sometimes a short form of longer names containing this element.
Sridevi ஸ்ரீதேவி f Telugu, Tamil
Variant of Shridevi.
Srinivas ஸ்ரீனிவாஸ் m Telugu, Kannada, Tamil
Southern Indian form of Shrinivas.
Subramaniam சுப்பிரமணியம் m Tamil
Tamil variant of Subrahmanya.
Subramanian சுப்பிரமணியன் m Tamil
Tamil variant of Subrahmanya.
Sudarshan சுதர்சன் 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".
Sujatha சுஜாதா f Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Sinhalese
South Indian and Sinhala form of Sujata.
Sundar சுந்தர் m Tamil, Hindi
Modern form of Sundara.
Sunder சுந்தர் m Hindi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi सुन्दर or Tamil சுந்தர் (see Sundar).
Sunil சுனில் 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 சுனிதா f Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Sunita.
Suresh சுரேஷ் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Modern form of Suresha.
Suriya சூர்யா m Thai, Tamil
Thai form of Surya, as well as an alternate Tamil transcription.
Surya சூர்யா 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.
Swathi சுவாதி f Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Swati.
Thamarai தாமரை f Tamil
Means "lotus" in Tamil.
Uma உமா 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 உஷா 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 வைஷ்ணவி 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.
Varsha வர்ஷா f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil
From Sanskrit वर्ष (varṣa) meaning "rain".
Vasu வாசு 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.
Venkat வெங்கட் m Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Variant of Venkata.
Venkata வெங்கட 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 வித்யா f Hinduism, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Means "knowledge, science, learning" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Saraswati.
Vijay விஜய் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi
Modern masculine form of Vijaya.
Vijaya விஜய, விஜயா 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 விக்ரம் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
Modern form of Vikrama.
Vimal விமல் m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
From Sanskrit विमल (vimala) meaning "clean, pure, spotless".
Vimala விமலா f Tamil
Feminine form of Vimal.
Vinay வினய் m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit विनय (vinaya) meaning "leading, guidance, modesty".
Vishal விஷால் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit विशाल (viśāla) meaning "wide, broad, spacious".
Vishnu விஷ்ணு 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 விவேக் m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali
From Sanskrit विवेक (viveka) meaning "wisdom, distinction, discrimination".
Yamuna யமுனா f Hinduism, Tamil, Telugu
From the name of an Indian river, a major tributary of the Ganges, derived from Sanskrit यम (yama) meaning "twin". As a Hindu goddess, she is a personification of the river.