Sanskrit baby names are powerful and deeply meaningful. This list offers names for boys and girls, along with their beautiful meanings.
Sanskrit is an ancient and sacred language. It’s the basis of the texts of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and was a common language among different peoples right across ancient and medieval South Asia.
While literature written in Vedic Sanskrit deals only with religion, Classical Sanskrit can be found in everything from poems, epics and dramas, to law, medicine and mathematics.
Sanskrit names are also beautiful.
As you look for names for your little one, try saying these options for both boys and girls out loud, too.
You’re sure to find something both beautiful and meaningful for your little peanut.
In this article: 📝
- 20 of the most popular Sanskrit Names
- 20 cool Sanskrit names
- More ideas for baby girl names in Sanskrit
- More ideas for Sanskrit names for baby boys
20 of the most popular Sanskrit Names
- Aditya: Meaning the sun, Aditya is a boys’ name.
- Ambaara: In Sanskrit, Ambaara means the sky, but it’s inspired the name Amber, for the orange-gold mineral.
- Arjun: A boys’ name, Arjun means bright or shining in Sanskrit.
- Avi: Meaning sun and air. While it’s not traditionally a Sanskrit name, we love the sound of it.
- Kali: A girls’ name, Kali is a force in Hindu mythology. The goddess of both destruction and enlightenment, she’s as likely to cause chaos as she is to lead the ignorant towards wisdom. The word means black in Sanskrit.
- Karka: The Sanskrit word for May.
- Karma: This word is widely used and known in the west. It means fate or destiny and refers to the Hindu and Buddhist belief that your intention and actions influence your future. It’s a girls’ name.
- Kashmir: A state in India, Kashmir can also be used as a girls’ name.
- Kiran: Kiran means sunshine or a beam of light and is a boys’ name.
- Milan: A boys’ name in many parts of the world, Milan is a popular girls’ name in the US. In Sanskrit it means coming together or unification.
- Mukuta: Meaning crown, Mukuta is a boys’ name.
- Nirvana: In Buddhism, nirvana refers to a state in which there is no suffering, desire or sense of self. In Sanskrit, it means bliss or liberation and can be found around the world as a boys’ and girls’ name.
- Priya: Priya means “beloved”, and is a girls’ name. In Hinduism, Priya is the name of the creator god, Daksha.
- Raine: Derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “she is singing” or “queen”, Raine can be used as a girls’ or boys’ name.
- Rohan: Meaning red-haired, red, or even “ascending”, Rohan is a boys’ name that has both Sanskrit and Irish roots.
- Samir: Samir is a boys’ name that means gentle breeze or wind.
- Tara: In Sanskrit, Tara means hill or star, and in Hindu mythology, the wife of Shiva is sometimes called Tara. Usually a girls’ name, it can be a boys’ name, too.
- Uma: Uma is one of the names of the Indian goddess Parvati, wife of Shiva. It means splendor or tranquility in Sanskrit.
- Upala: Known as a gemstone with its many internal colors, Opal is also a Sanskrit girls’ name that means gem or jewel.
- Veda: The Vedas are the Hindus’ four sacred texts, so giving your daughter this name carries great weight. It means knowledge or wisdom.
20 cool Sanskrit names
- Adhira: A girls’ name meaning quick
- Avni: The earth
- Dakini: A girls’ name meaning witch or sky-walker
- Daivik: God’s grace
- Dishaa: A girls’ name meaning direction
- Ekta: A girls’ name meaning unity
- Esha: A wish
- Harit: A boys’ name meaning green
- Ila: A girls’ name meaning light, or woman from earth
- Ipsit: Desired
- Kalyani: Auspicious and prosperous
- Laran: A boys’ name meaning psychic powers and abilities
- Leila: A girls’ name meaning black beauty
- Maya: A girls’ name meaning illusion
- Nayak: Guide
- Rana: A boys’ name meaning king
- Ritvika: Priestess, or one who recites the Rigveda
- Tarak: A boys’ name meaning protector
- Tarush: Conqueror
- Yuvan: A boys’ name meaning strong
More ideas for baby girl names in Sanskrit
- Aadrika: The Sanskrit name of a celestial being
- Antara: The second note in Hindustani music
- Bhanavi: Belonging to the sun
- Bhavika: Full of emotion and expression
- Bhavabhuti: Prosperity
- Charvi: A beautiful woman
- Daksha: Competent, Shiva’s wife and the earth
- Devaki: Divine
- Devika: Little goddess
- Eni: A river or stream
- Gitika: A short song or hymn
- Gunadya: Full of virtues
- Hansika: A little swan
- Harshita: Joy and delight
- Iditri: One worthy of praise
- Iha: Request or desire
- Iksha: Sight
- Ishani: Another name for the goddess Durga
- Jiti: Victory
- Kalhana: Knowing
- Kalidasa: Servant of Kali
- Kaveri: A sacred river of India
- Lavani: Grace and beauty
- Lavanya: Charming
- Malavika: A Himalayan plant
- Mananya: Praiseworthy
- Manya: Worthy of respect and honor
- Nalini: Sacred lotus
- Navya: Newness or fresh
- Neelakantha: Blue throat
- Nitya: Eternal
- Omana: Protector and helper
- Rasika: Graceful and elegant, or the juice of sugarcane
- Revati: Royal jasmine
- Riddhi: Good fortune and prosperity
- Shri: Wealth
- Sukanya: A beautiful woman
- Swara: Music or a musical tone
- Talika: The palm of the hand, or a medicinal plant
- Tarini: A form of the goddess Durga
- Tavishi: Courage or a heavenly virgin
- Tatvika: Real and true
- Udita: One who has risen, or lofty and luminous
- Varnini: A woman of repute and honor
- Vilhana: Sunrise
- Vyasa: Arranger or separation
- Yamini: Nocturnal or night
- Yashtika: A string of pearls
More ideas for Sanskrit names for baby boys
- Aadi or Adi: Superior one or firstborn
- Adikavi: First poet
- Aloka: Vision, splendor, or luster
- Amit: Boundless
- Arit: One worthy of praise
- Arjuna: White or silver
- Atri: Voyager through life
- Ashvaghasha or Ashvaghosha: Horse’s voice
- Bhānumati: Shining like the sun
- Bharat: Fire
- Bharavi: Luster of the sun
- Bhasa: Speech
- Daman: The controlling one
- Damodara: Rope around the belly
- Dandi: Porter
- Darsh: Another name for the god, Krishna
- Deva: Angel or divine being
- Dilip: An ancestor of Rama
- Gritsamada: After the Rigvedic sage
- Hari: Belongs to God, or remover of pain
- Harsha: Joy or delight
- Harshavardhana: Creator of joy
- Hemchandra: Golden moon
- Itish: Another name for the god, Shiva
- Jaideva: Divine victory
- Jaivant: Victorious
- Lalit: Beautiful
- Lekhit: Written
- Lokesh: King of the world
- Karan: An instrument
- Kshemendra: Lord of welfare
- Kumar: Child
- Maharishi: Great saint
- Manan: Thoughtful
- Manav: Man or youthful
- Manik: Jewel or gem
- Merutunga: Tall person
- Mohan: Wonderful and enchanting
- Murari: One who holds a flute
- Nandish: Another name for the god, Shiva
- Narayan: Water resting place
- Nilay: Resting place or refuge
- Oman: Protector
- Pāṇini: Descendant of Paṇi
- Parth: Prince
- Patanjali: Flying beauty
- Punnasseri: After the Sanskrit scholar
- Raghunatha: Brave man of the Raghu clan
- Rajashekhara: Crown of a king
- Ratan: Precious stone
- Rathin: A charioteer
- Saket: A place of pilgrimage
- Samarth: Able and efficient
- Sanjit: Victorious
- Savar: Another name for the god, Shiva
- Tanay: Son
- Valmiki: Born of an ant hill
- Vasishtha: Most excellent
- Vatsa: Son
- Vinay: Good-mannered and humble
- Vipin: Sharp and talented
- Vishnu: All pervasive
- Yash: Fame, honor or respect
- Yuvan: Young king or heir apparent
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