Nepali Names from Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Why so many Nepali names honour a deity

Hindu and Buddhist stories give each deity many names. Every name praises one quality, so one god can be called the great lord, the blue-throated one, the lord of the mountain and the one who is easily pleased. These titles are called epithets, and a lot of them became everyday Nepali names.

In our list, about 570 names are tied to a deity. Shiva has the most, with around 150, followed by Vishnu with about 95 and Krishna with about 75. Rama, Parvati, Surya, Indra, Durga and the Buddha each have a smaller group.

Many of these names are so common that people hardly think of the deity behind them. Ramesh (रमेश), Umesh (उमेश) and Suresh (सुरेश) are each carried by more than 100 people in our sample of recorded names. Each one is also a title of a god.

Names of Shiva

Shiva is honoured in more Nepali names than any other deity in our list. Many of his names end in -esh, which means lord. You can see more of these on our -esh endings page and in the full Shiva names list.

• Shiva (शिव): the auspicious one.
• Mahesh (महेश): great lord.
• Shankar (शंकर): giver of welfare and bliss.
• Girish (गिरीश): lord of the mountain.
• Nilkantha (नीलकण्ठ): blue-throated, from the story of Shiva drinking the poison.
• Umesh (उमेश): lord of Uma, another name of Parvati.
• Ashutosh (आशुतोष): one who is easily pleased.
• Shambhu (शम्भु): abode of joy.
• Pashupati (पशुपति): lord of all beings.
• Ishan (ईशान): lord or ruler; also the north-east.

Names of Vishnu, Krishna and Rama

Vishnu is the preserver in Hindu belief. Krishna and Rama are told as two of his avatars, so their names often overlap. Keshav (केशव), for example, means one with beautiful hair and is used for both Krishna and Vishnu. See the lists for Vishnu, Krishna and Rama.

Krishna (कृष्ण) and Ram (राम) are two of the most common deity names in our sample, each carried by more than 200 people.

• Bishnu (विष्णु): Lord Vishnu, the all-pervading preserver.
• Narayan (नारायण): refuge of all beings.
• Hari (हरि): remover of sorrow.
• Achyut (अच्युत): imperishable, infallible.
• Jagdish (जगदीश): lord of the world.
• Krishna (कृष्ण): dark; Lord Krishna himself.
• Gopal (गोपाल) and Govinda (गोविन्द): protector of cows.
• Madhav (माधव): sweet as honey.
• Mohan (मोहन): attractive, enchanting.
• Ghanshyam (घनश्याम): dark as a rain cloud.
• Ram (राम): pleasing, charming; Lord Rama.
• Ramchandra (रामचन्द्र): Rama, gentle as the moon.

Names of the goddesses

Goddess names often describe strength, wisdom or abundance. Parvati is the daughter of the mountain, so several of her names mean exactly that. Durga's names speak of victory. Saraswati's names speak of speech and learning, and Lakshmi's of beauty and fortune. Browse Parvati and Durga names, or the spiritual names theme.

• Parbati (पार्वती), Girija (गिरिजा) and Shailaja (शैलजा): daughter of the mountain.
• Gauri (गौरी): fair, radiant; a name of Parvati.
• Uma (उमा): a name of Parvati; splendour, tranquility.
• Ambika (अम्बिका): mother; a name of Parvati or Durga.
• Durga (दुर्गा): the invincible goddess and divine mother.
• Aparajita (अपराजिता): undefeated, unconquered.
• Jayanti (जयन्ती): victorious; a name of Durga.
• Saraswati (सरस्वती): goddess of knowledge, music and the arts.
• Bharati (भारती): goddess of speech, a name of Saraswati.
• Laxmi (लक्ष्मी): goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity.
• Indira (इन्दिरा): beauty, splendour; a name of Lakshmi.
• Sita (सीता) and Radha (राधा): the consorts of Rama and Krishna.

Ganesha, Surya and Indra

Ganesha is honoured at the start of new things, so his names suit a new beginning. Ganesh (गणेश) means lord of the ganas. Vinayak (विनायक) means remover of obstacles, and Heramb (हेरम्ब) is a rarer name of his.

Surya, the sun, gives some of the brightest meanings. Ravi (रवि) and Surya (सूर्य) both mean the sun. Aditya (आदित्य) is the son of Aditi. Diwakar (दिवाकर) means maker of the day, and Prabhakar (प्रभाकर) maker of light. Find more under Surya names and sun names.

Indra is king of the gods, so his names often mean lord of the gods: Surendra (सुरेन्द्र), Devendra (देवेन्द्र) and Suresh. Mahendra (महेन्द्र) means great Indra. Many of these end in -endra; see the -endra endings and the Indra list.

Names of the Buddha

The Buddha was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, and names linked to him are widely loved. Siddhartha (सिद्धार्थ), his birth name, means one who has accomplished his aim. Gautam (गौतम) is his family name. Sugat (सुगत) means one who has gone well. Dipankar (दीपंकर) means one who lights lamps and is the name of a past Buddha, and Amitabh (अमिताभ) means of boundless splendour.

See all of them on the Buddha names page, or browse Buddhist names more widely.

Choosing by meaning

Families choose a deity name for many reasons. For some it is devotion, for some it is a grandparent's name, and for some it is simply a beautiful meaning. Every epithet carries its own meaning, so it is worth reading that first.

Ask what quality you would like your child's name to hold. If you love the mountains, Girish, Girija or Shailaja may speak to you. If light matters to you, look at Prabhakar or Dipankar. For joy, try Shambhu; for victory, Aparajita or Jayanti. Our meaning themes and the name finder can help you search this way.

• Check how common the name is. Krishna and Ram are very familiar; Heramb or Nilkantha are far rarer. The rarity tool shows where a name sits.
• Pick a spelling. Many names have two English forms, such as Keshav and Keshab or Vishnu and Bishnu. Our guide to spelling Nepali names in English explains why.
• Say it with the family name. The full name checker helps you hear the whole name.
• Read our pronunciation guide if a sound such as ksh or the long aa is new to you.