132 South Indian Baby Names With Meanings

South Indian Baby Names With Meanings

Illustration: MomJunction Design Team

Indian names are as diverse as the country itself. Each caste, religion, family, and community has its own set of naming conventions and customs. South Indian baby names have a unique charm and identity. The first names in the South Indian community are influenced by the culture, religion, and virtues that parents desire for their children. The surname convention of South Indians is very different from the naming practices found in other parts of India.

An interesting naming tradition in South India is to include the name of the birthplace in the personal name to indicate a connection (1). Many South Indian names are also inspired by Gods, deities, nature elements, mythologies, holy scriptures, cultural and regional impacts, and language. These names reflect grace and usually remain evergreen through generations. Names like Bhanupriya, which means ‘beloved of the sun,’ reflect the connection with nature. Eashwari, a classic Goddess name, celebrates the deep connection South Indian names have with holy figures. The name Moovendan, meaning ‘rulers of rulers,’ reflects power, strength, wisdom, and courage and explains the connection South India has with its cultural tales revolving around the kings and queens back in the day.

Another interesting aspect of South Indian names is the double-barrel names. These names combine two separate names into one. Both names often have melodious sounds and lovely meanings. For example, the name Krishna-dwaipayana means ‘a dark wise’ or ‘sage vyasa.’ More such intriguing names with fascinating meanings can be found in South Indian culture. Have a look at this post for a rich list of South Indian baby names with meanings.

NameGenderMeaning
heart image Sanjushree heart image baby boy sign Girl Beautiful
heart image Semanti heart image baby boy sign Girl Indian white rose
heart image Sendhen heart image baby boy sign Girl She who is as sweet as honey
heart image Sevandhi heart image baby boy sign Girl Chrysanthemum
heart image Shashibala heart image baby boy sign Girl The moon
heart image Sinhi heart image baby boy sign Girl Lioness
heart image Siyasundari heart image baby boy sign Girl Wife of Lord Shiva
heart image Tokka heart image baby boy sign Girl One who is united or joined
heart image Tungabhadra heart image baby boy sign Girl Highly auspicious or blessed; Name of an Indian river
heart image Udgita heart image baby boy sign Girl A hymn
heart image Udhayarani heart image baby boy sign Girl Rising queen
heart image Umarani heart image baby boy sign Girl Queen of queens
heart image Unmesha heart image baby boy sign Girl Visible
heart image Urvija heart image baby boy sign Girl The name of Goddess Laxmi
heart image Urvisha heart image baby boy sign Girl Lord of The Earth
heart image Ushika heart image baby boy sign Girl The name of Goddess Parvati
heart image Vaijayantimala heart image baby boy sign Girl Lord Vishnu’s garland
heart image Vikasni heart image baby boy sign Girl The name of Goddess Lakshmi
heart image Vindhuja heart image baby boy sign Girl Knowledge
heart image Virangana heart image baby boy sign Girl She who is brave
heart image Viri heart image baby boy sign Girl Flower
heart image Visheta heart image baby boy sign Girl Self-control
heart image Viti heart image baby boy sign Girl Light
heart image Vritti heart image baby boy sign Girl Nature or behavior
heart image Vyoma heart image baby boy sign Girl Bird; Who lives in the sky
heart image Yashna heart image baby boy sign Girl To pray
heart image Yashwitha heart image baby boy sign Girl Success
heart image Yathartha heart image baby boy sign Girl Truth
heart image Yatika heart image baby boy sign Girl Goddess Durga
heart image Yogyasri heart image baby boy sign Girl Good
heart image Yubhashana heart image baby boy sign Girl A name for Goddess Mahalakshmi
heart image Yutika heart image baby boy sign Girl Flower

South Indian baby names are a beautiful blend of cultural legacies and significant meanings. Taking inspiration from nature, spirituality and goddesses, these names are traditional yet unique on their own. Whether you belong to Andhra, Kerala, or Karnataka, these names have a beautiful essence and positive attributes. Although these names are South Indian, their usage is not restricted to this region. If you are genuinely interested in South Indian culture and would like to honor it, you may bestow a name from this region on your bundle of joy.

Infographic: Marvelous South Indian Names For Your Baby

South Indian baby names are deeply rooted in the region’s vibrant culture and traditions. These names are inspired by mythology, languages, nature, and scriptures. They are diverse in nature and often classic in style and manage to mesmerize the parents. Check out the infographic below and pick a trendy South Indian name for your little one.

lively south indian baby names (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the significance of South Indian baby names?

South India comprises five states, all with different languages and cultures. However, baby names in all the states are deeply rooted in their respective culture and religion. Naming customs vary, with particular surnames depicting their regional heritage in one state, while family names play a significant role in another (1).

2. How are South Indian baby names chosen?

Names in Southern India, specifically among the Tamil, Malayali, and Kannada-speaking communities, typically follow a specific structure. They usually consist of 'place of origin + father's personal name + personal name + jati/community name.' However, in the Telugu-speaking community, there is a different pattern observed, where names are formed as 'family name + personal name + jati name.' (3)

3. What are some gender-neutral South Indian baby names?

Arya is a gender-neutral name in South India that means 'noble.' Kiran is another unisex name that means 'dust,' thread,' or 'sunbeam.' Vijaya means 'victory' and is a popular South Indian name.

4. What are the origins and common themes or motifs of South Indian baby names?

The Dravidian and Sanskrit languages strongly influence South Indian baby names. For Hindus, most names are drawn from the Hindu mythology. Names will mostly be inspired by Gods and Goddesses. Names would also be based or inspired by nature and concepts like love, success, wisdom, and truth.

5. How do South Indian baby names differ from other parts of India?

South Indian baby names differ from other parts of India because they contain four names in this order; place of origin, father's name, given name, and caste name. While baby names in North India mostly have three names (1).

6. How have South Indian baby names evolved?

South Indian names generally do not follow the concept of using surnames or last names. Still, with the British colonization, South Indians were subjected to a naming system that was in tune with the British naming system (4).

7. Why is the surname written first in South India?

In India, surnames are sometimes written before personal or given names to indicate a person's place of origin, caste, trades, or prominent positions of their ancestors (2).

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.
  1. Understanding Indian Names in Naming Conventions, Discovery, and Standardisation
    https://www.las.org.sg/wp/blog/bulletin/understanding-indian-names-in-naming-conventions-discovery-and-standardisation/
  2. India Personal Names
    https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/India_Personal_Names#:~:text=In%20India%2C%20surnames%20are%20placed
  3. What do Hindu names mean? https://www.hinduamerican.org/blog/what-do-hindu-names-mean
  4. Indian Names: A Guide for Science Editors
    https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=ebc1bf59be0edffb0cde7facb44cc466d1ac367a
Was this article helpful?
thumbsupthumbsdown
The following two tabs change content below.