610 Kannada Baby Names That Reflect Heritage

The gift of a name is a gift for life, and as parents, you want your child’s name to be unique, meaningful, and perfect. A Kannada baby name would offer you just what you need. Kannada is a Dravidian language spoken by nearly 50 million people in Karnataka, India. It is recognized as one of the country's 22 scheduled languages. The language is more than 2000 years old, finding mention even in the exploits of Alexander the Great (1). Over time, three influences have shaped the language: Pāṇini's grammar, non-Pāṇinian schools of Sanskrit grammar, and Prakrit grammar. These sources are reflected in Kannada vocabulary, phonetics, grammar, morphology, and syntax. Kannada names contain four or three main parts, depending on the region. The first name could be anything parents like, but it is preferred that the initial of the name should be the first letter of their ancestor’s village name or the baby’s native place. In Southern Karnataka, it is customary to use the father’s name as the baby’s second name. The third name of the baby is usually regarded as their given name. These names are derived from human virtues, names of gods, and elements of nature. Kannada surnames are handed down from generation to generation. In North Karnataka, surnames are derived from various sources, such as places, temples, types of people, professions, and clothing, to name a few. They can also be based on houses, such as Doddamani, meaning ‘big house,’ and Hadimani, ‘house next to the road.’ Surnames also indicate the type of community and caste an individual belongs to. Although these caste names are given only to people of higher castes, people who belong to South Karnataka rarely use caste names. Some parents even include the child’s birthplace in the name. Married women often take their husband’s given name as their surname. Below, we have compiled a collection of some modern, traditional, and popular Kannada baby names. Have a look to find the perfect name for your little one!

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Name		Gender	Meaning
Mira		Girl	A wonderous beauty; Peace; Sea; Ocean; Glory; Merry; Kindness; Behold
Rohan		Boy	Ascending; Red-haired
Veda		Girl	Knowledge; Wisdom
Meera		Girl	Sea; Ocean; Boundary; Limit; Prosperous; Famous; Astonishing; Goodness
Jai		Boy	Victory; Supplanter; Healer
Leela		Girl	Play; Amusement; Princess of darkness
Asha		Girl	Desire; Hope; Wish; Alive; Exist
Hardin		Boy	Brave; Strong; Hardy; Valley of the hare; Affectionate
Sahana		Girl	Endurance; Patience; To bloom
Reem		Girl	One who is like a beautiful gazelle; White antelope
Nikhil		Boy	Perfect; Complete; Whole; All-inclusive; Intact
Arjan		Boy	From Hadria; Procuring; Earning; Acquiring; Gaining; Golden life
Uma		Girl	Flax; Night; Fame; Splendor; Tranquility
Aditi		Girl	Boundless; Freedom; Security; Heaven and Earth
Keshav		Boy	Lord Vishnu; One who has beautiful long hair; Slayer of Kesi demon
Ashwin		Boy	Possessed of horses; A cavalier; Light
Advika		Girl	Unrivalled; Unique
Indira		Girl	Beauty and goddess-like
Sriyan		Unisex	Prosperous journey; A vehicle of success
Kiyaan		Boy	Royal; Kingship
Taran		Boy	Thunder; A raft; A boat; Crossing over
Varun		Boy	To surround; God of water and the oceans
Vikram		Boy	Stride; Pace; Valor
Aanvi		Girl	To seek or follow; Small; Goddess Parvati
Advay		Boy	Unique; Without second
Savana		Girl	Hearing; Flowing; Solar; Sacrificial libation; The moon; Name of varuna
Divya		Girl	A divine luster; Heavenly
Advith		Boy	One who is unique; Without a second
Anand		Boy	Joy; Happiness; Bliss; Delight; Pleasure; Harmony
Mesa		Girl	April; Goat; Ram; Table
Nilani		Girl	Moon; Indigo
Kamala		Girl	Lotus; Pale red
Aishwarya		Girl	Prosperity; Wealth
Ahna		Girl	Gracious; Favor; Daytime; First rays of the sun; Born during the day
Adithya		Boy	Sun God; Son of Aditi
Vishnu		Girl	All-pervasive; Hindu god of preservation and protection
Savi		Girl	A large grassy plain; Flowed; Milk; Delight; To accept
Sanjay		Boy	Completely victorious; Triumphant
Varnika		Girl	Color; Pure; Writer
Ridhi		Unisex	Prosperity; Success; Fortune; Abundance; Power
Sandip		Boy	Blazing; Lamp
Maleya		Unisex	Wished for child; Florist; Chieftain of a mountainous region
Medha		Girl	One of great wisdom and intellect
Neha		Girl	Love; Tenderness; Rain; Wisdom
Kushal		Boy	Skilled; Experienced; Intelligent
Saahas		Boy	Courage; Adventure; Valor; With force
Nethra		Unisex	Vision; Eyes; Leader
Chinmay		Boy	Name of Lord Ganesha; Intelligence; Consciousness
Mohan		Boy	Charming; Infatuating; Bewitching
Samba		Boy	Happy; Fortunate; To console
Sriram		Boy	Lord rama
Vivek		Boy	Wisdom; Discrimination; Distinction
Kalyani		Girl	Beautiful; Auspicious
Veeksha		Unisex	Vision; Knowledge
Nishka		Girl	Gold vessel; Gold coin; Necklace
Priyanka		Girl	Agreeable; Amiable
Shyam		Boy	Dark blue; Black; Hindu god Krishna
Mahima		Girl	The ability to become huge; Greatness; Glory
Nithya		Girl	Eternal; Always
Satya		Boy	Pure; Virtuous; Truthful
Vijay		Unisex	Victorious or triumphant
Satish		Boy	Ruler; Lord of Sati; Truthfulness
Darshan		Boy	Seeing; Observing; Understanding
Guru		Unisex	Teacher; Guide; Expert
Devam		Unisex	Divine; Celestial; Supreme presence; Shining
Nithin		Boy	Guidance; Moral conduct
Sanjeev		Boy	Giving life; Reviving
Vidhaan		Boy	Method; Creator; Law
Het		Boy	Love; Adore; Care for
Kovid		Boy	Wise; Astute; Intelligent; Expert
Eniya		Unisex	A close companion; Kernel; Grain
Mani		Boy	A jewel; Moon; God is with us
Pradeep		Boy	Light; Lantern
Revanth		Boy	Horse rider; Brilliant; Wealthy; Opulent; Splendid; Handsome; Son of Lord Surya
Svojas		Boy	He who is very strong and powerful
Myan		Unisex	A sword sheath; A palanquin
Bindu		Girl	Drop; Point
Praveen		Boy	A person who is an expert in something
Santhosh		Boy	Happy; Satisfaction; Contentment
Bhavana		Girl	Feeling; Emotion; Thought; Producing; Manifesting; Development; Cultivating
Krunal		Boy	One who is a Constant Companion; Compassionate; Kind to others
Yashas		Boy	Fame; Glory; Splendid; Worthy; Praise; Excellent
Vara		Unisex	Boon or blessing; Bridegroom
Ahni		Unisex	Day; Awe or fear for the edge of the sword
Khara		Girl	Pure; Thorn; Brackish; Rainy rivulet; Crow
Sriya		Girl	Superior; Best
Veena		Girl	Musical instrument; Lute
Girish		Boy	God of mountains; Lord of the mountains; One of the many names of Lord Shiva
Ravindra		Boy	Lord of the Sun
Ishay		Unisex	Refresh; Strengthen; Animate
Dinesh		Boy	God of the day; Another name for the sun God
Keshava		Boy	Lord Vishnu; One who has beautiful long hair; Slayer of Kesi demon
Tarika		Girl	One who serves; Boat; Ferryman
Aneela		Girl	Wind; Air
Yuni		Unisex	June; Connection; Union; Young woman; Rain; Sunlight; Rainbow; Gentleness; Similar; Humanity
Mahesh		Boy	A great ruler; One who is supreme
Maheen		Girl	Earth-ruler; King; Prince
Prakash		Boy	Light; Brightness; Shining
Prem		Boy	One who gives love and affection to others
Shankar		Boy	Lord Shiva; Maker; Auspicious

Infographic: Magnificent Kannada Baby Names With Meanings

Are you looking for a name for your child from one of India’s designated classical languages? Kannada baby names are rich in meaning and exude a distinctive charm. From being inspired by gods and goddesses to depicting one’s region and culture, these names intertwine your baby’s identity with the culture. The infographic below presents some of the finest Kannada baby names with their meanings.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team