Kannada Names

Kannada names are used in western India. See also about Indian names.
gender
usage
Abhinav ಅಭಿನವ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu
Means "young, fresh" in Sanskrit.
Abhishek ಅಭಿಷೇಕ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "anointing" in Sanskrit.
Aditi ಅದಿತಿ f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit. This is the name of an ancient Hindu goddess of the sky and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother 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 eight) 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
Means "prosperity, wealth" in Sanskrit. 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
Means "undecaying, imperishable" in Sanskrit.
Amit 1 ಅಮಿತ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Means "immeasurable, infinite" in Sanskrit.
Anand ಆನಂದ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali
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 Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit अनिल (anila) meaning "air, wind". This is another name of Vayu, the Hindu god of the 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 (radha) meaning "success, prosperity".
Aparna ಅಪರ್ಣಾ f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali
Means "leafless, not having eaten leaves" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Aravind ಅರವಿಂದ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.
Aravinda ಅರವಿಂದ m Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಅರವಿಂದ (see Aravind).
Archana ಅರ್ಚನ f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "honouring, praising" in Sanskrit. 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 is also transcribed as Aruna, however the modern masculine form is Arun.
Asha 1 ಆಶಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit आशा (asha) meaning "wish, desire, hope".
Ashish ಆಶಿಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit आशिष (ashisha) 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 (ashvin) meaning "possessed of horses". The Ashvins are twin Hindu gods of the sunrise and sunset.
Avinash ಅವಿನಾಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada
Means "indestructible" in Sanskrit.
Balakrishna ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣ m Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit बल (bala) meaning "strength, might" 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
Means "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion" in Sanskrit.
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 (chand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of the masculine form चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts, which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form चण्डा.
Chandrashekhar ಚಂದ್ರಶೇಖಾರ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Odia
Means "crown of the moon", derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (chandra) meaning "moon" and शेखर (shekhara) meaning "crest, peak, crown". This is an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva.
Chetan ಚೇತನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
Means "visible, conscious, soul" in Sanskrit.
Darshan ದರ್ಶನ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada
Means "seeing, observing, understanding" in Sanskrit.
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).
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
Means "brightness, light" in Sanskrit.
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 another name of the Hindu god 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 Krishna. It is also borne by the son of the Garuda, the bird-like mount of Vishnu.
Harish ಹರೀಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Modern form of Harisha.
Harsha ಹರ್ಷ m Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit
Means "happiness" in Sanskrit. This was the name of 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. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Kamal 2 ಕಮಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
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. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. It is also another name of the Hindu 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 (kirana), which can mean "dust" or "thread" or "sunbeam".
Krishna ಕೃಷ್ಣ m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "black, dark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu god believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu. He was the youngest of King Vasudeva's eight children, six of whom were killed by King Kamsa because of a prophecy that a child of Vasudeva would kill Kamsa. Krishna however was saved and he eventually killed the king as well as performing many other great feats. In some Hindu traditions, Krishna is regarded as the supreme deity. He is usually depicted with blue skin.
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.
Madhu ಮಧು f & m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu
From Sanskrit मधु (madhu) meaning "sweet, honey". 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
Means "sweetness" in Sanskrit.
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. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this name is borne by a 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 Svayambhuva, 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
Means "sea, ocean" in Sanskrit. 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 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 (naga) 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
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.
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
Means "path of man" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of the god of creation, later synonymous with the god Brahma, and even later with Vishnu.
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
Means "new" in Sanskrit.
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
Means "whole, entire" in Sanskrit.
Nirmal ನಿರ್ಮಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
Means "clean, pure" in Sanskrit.
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
Means "night" in Sanskrit.
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 (niti) 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. 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 (pradipa) meaning "light, lantern".
Prakash ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रकाश (prakasha) 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
Means "brightness, clearness, graciousness, offering" in Sanskrit. 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
Means "skilled" in Sanskrit.
Preethi ಪ್ರೀತಿ f Kannada, Tamil
South Indian form of Priti.
Prem ಪ್ರೇಂ m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "love, affection" in Sanskrit.
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. In Hindu legend this is the name of a daughter of King Daksha.
Priyanka ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit प्रियंकर (priyankara) meaning "agreeable, amiable".
Puja ಪೂಜಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Means "honour, worship" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu ritual of reverence.
Purnima ಪೂರ್ಣಿಮಾ f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada
Means "full moon" in Sanskrit.
Pushpa ಪುಷ್ಪಾ f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Means "flower" in Sanskrit. 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 & m Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Means "success, prosperity" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the favourite consort of the Hindu god 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
Variant 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 (rajya).
Raja 2 ರಾಜಾ m Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, Indonesian
Means "king, ruler", from Sanskrit राजन् (rajan).
Rajani ರಜನಿ f & m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Means "the dark one" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Kali or Durga.
Rajesh ರಾಜೇಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "ruler of kings" from Sanskrit राज (raja) meaning "king" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".
Rakesh ರಾಕೇಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Means "lord of the full moon" from Sanskrit राका (raka) meaning "full moon" and ईश (isha) 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 (chandra) 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
Means "ray of sunlight" or "rope" in Sanskrit.
Ravi ರವಿ m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, 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 (rohana) meaning "ascending".
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. In Hindu belief this is the name of a princess who became the wife of Krishna.
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 the daughter of the Hindu god Brahma.
Sandip ಸಂದೀಪ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Means "blazing" in Sanskrit.
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 (sanjiva) 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 (shiva) meaning "benign, kind, auspicious". Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction and restoration, the husband of the mother goddess Parvati. His aspect is usually terrifying, but it can also be gentle.
Shobha ಶೋಭಾ f Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शोभा (shobha) 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 Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with दर्शन (darshana) 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 (dhira) 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 (nila) 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 Hindu god of the sun.
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 ma) meaning "O (child), 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. In Hindu legend this was the name of a princess who married Aniruddha.
Vasu ವಾಸು m Hinduism, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi
Means "bright, excellent" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of several Hindu gods. It also belonged to one of the authors of the Rigveda.
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 are used frequently in Hindu texts. It is the name of a grandson of Indra, a son of Krishna and it is another name of the goddess Durga. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century BC king of Sri Lanka.
Vikram ವಿಕ್ರಮ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
Modern form of Vikrama.
Vinay ವಿನಯ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "leading, guidance, modesty" in Sanskrit.
Vishal ವಿಶಾಲ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali
Means "wide, broad, spacious" in Sanskrit.
Vishnu ವಿಷ್ಣು m Hinduism, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Marathi
Probably means "all-pervasive" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Vishnu is the protector and preserver of the universe, usually depicted as four-armed and blue-skinned. By some Hindus he is regarded as the supreme god.
Vivek ವಿವೇಕ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali
Means "wisdom, distinction, discrimination" in Sanskrit.
Yash ಯಶ್ m Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit यशस् (yashas) meaning "fame, praise, glory".