Category Archives: Thai Names

Pran, Prani

Posted on by
Reply
a man in black tank top standing while meditating
Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com
  • Origin: Sanskrit प्राण
  • Meaning: “breath of life; breath; life force.”

Pran is a male Indian given-name derived from the Sanskrit प्राण (prana), meaning, “breath; breath of life,” “life force” or, “vital energy.”

In Indian philosophy and yoga, prāṇa represents the universal life energy that animates all living beings.

The Thai feminine form Prani (ปราณี) combines this same Sanskrit root with the suffix -i, creating a meaning closer to “kind,” “merciful,” or “gracious.” In Thai and Pali contexts, Prani can also mean “a living being” or “one endowed with breath.” It is sometimes transcribed as Pranee.

Sources

Padma

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Sanskrit
  • Kannada: ಪದ್ಮಾ (Kanada)
  • Sanskrit, Hindi: पद्म, पद्मा
  • Tamil: பத்மா
  • Telugu: పద్మా
  • Tibetan: པདྨ
  • Gender: Unisex
  • Meaning: “lotus.”
  • (PUD-mah); (pəd̪.mə/)

The name Padma (पद्म) is derived from Sanskrit, meaning “lotus.” In South Asian tradition, the lotus is one of the most sacred flowers, symbolizing purity, beauty, spiritual awakening, and transcendence — a blossom that rises pristine from muddy waters.

Religious & Mythological Significance

Lakshmi: In Hindu texts, Padma is used as a by-name of the goddess Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. She is often depicted standing or seated upon a lotus, holding lotus flowers in her hands.

Vishnu: The lotus is also associated with Vishnu, Lakshmi’s consort, and the cosmic lotus from which the universe springs.

Attributes: The padma is one of the four attributes (ayudhas) often shown in iconography of deities — symbolizing purity, enlightenment, and divine perfection.

Buddhism & Jainism: The lotus also holds deep meaning in Buddhist and Jain traditions, where it represents spiritual liberation and the blossoming of wisdom.

The name is technically unisex but more commonly bestowed on females. A notable bearer is American author, Padma Lakshmi (b. 1970).

It is also the name of a major river in Bangladesh and in the Harry Potter series, Padma Patil is the twin of Parvati Patil.

International Variations

  • Padmé (f) – a pop-culture invention from the Star Wars franchise, which is based on the Sanskrit name.
  • Badma Бадма (u) (Buryat, Kalmyk)
  • Pema པད་མ (u) (Bhutanese)
  • Padmi (f), Padmo (m) (Javanese)
  • Bhotum បទុម (u) (Khmer)
  • Badmaa Бадмаа (f) (Mongolian)
  • Badam Бадам (u) (Mongolian)
  • Padam पद्म (u) (Nepali)
  • Patthama ปัทมา (Thai) (f)

Sources

Sonam

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Tibetan བསོད་ནམས (Tibetan); सोनम (Hindi, Marathi), โซนัม (Thai)
  • Meaning: “virtuous, merit.”
  • Gender: unisex
  • SOH-nahm

A classic Tibetan and Himalayan name, Sonam literally means “merit, virtue, good fortune, spiritual merit.” It comes from the Tibetan term bsod nams, a central concept in Tibetan Buddhism referring to the positive karma or merit accumulated through virtuous deeds.

The name is also used in Northern India.

Sources

Rishi

Posted on by
Reply

In Eastern Religions, a rishi is an accomplished or enlightened person or a yogi who has composed hymns or Vedas. In the Vedas, it also refers to an inspired poem or hymn. In Buddhism, it may refer to a monk of high rank or a Buddha. The word itself may be derive from the Sanskrit root ṛṣ meaning “to move; to flow.”

Rishi is currently a common Indian male name, it is born by the current British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

In the U.S., it currently ranks in as the 968th most popular male name (2023) and the 790th most popular in the U.K. and Wales (2021).

The feminine form is Rishika.

Other forms include:

  • Ruesi តាឥសី (Khmer); ฤๅษี (Thai) ລືສີ (Lao).

Transcriptions

  • ऋषि (Hindi, Nepali)
  • ऋषी (Marathi)
  • ऋषी (Bengali)

Sources

Kritika

Posted on by
Reply
Photo by Marco Milanesi on Pexels.com
  • Origin: Sanskrit
  • Script: कृतिका (Hindi, Sanskrit) กฤติกา (Thai)
  • Meaning: “the pleiades.”
  • Gender: feminine
  • Pron: (KREE-tee-kuh)

The name comes directly from the Sanskrit कृतिका (krtika), meaning “the pleiades.”

The name is borne by Indian actress, Kritika Kamra (b. 1988).

It is also used in Thailand.

Sources

Lakshmi, Laxmi

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Sanskrit लक्ष्मी
  • Kannada: ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ
  • Malayalam: ലക്ഷ്മി
  • Marathi/Hindi: लक्ष्मी
  • Odia: ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀ
  • Tamil: லட்சுமி
  • Telugu: లక్ష్మి
  • Meaning: “to perceive, observe, know, understand’ and ‘goal, aim, objective.”
  • Gender: feminine
  • LUCK-shmee

The name is derived from the Sanskrit lakṣ (लक्ष्) and lakṣa (लक्ष), meaning “to perceive, observe, know, understand’ and ‘goal, aim, objective.”

It is borne in Hinduism by the supreme goddess, wife of Vishnu, who is revered as the goddess of beauty, prosperity, luxury, contentment and among other things. She is known as Sri (the Noble One) and Akshara (imperishable), among other names. She is mentioned in the Rigveda as early as approximately 1000 BCE and is also revered in Buddhism and Jainism.

The name is mainly feminine, but is sometimes used among males in honour of the goddess in the same way that Mary, Maria, Marie has been used on males among Roman Catholics in honour of the Virgin Mary.

Sources

Aranya

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Sanskrit अरण्य
  • Thai: อรัญญา; Bengali: অরণ্য
  • Meaning: “forest.”
  • Gender: unisex

The name comes directly from the Sanskrit word अरण्य (forest), but is also used in some classical Indian literature to describe a wilderness or dessert. It is the name of the 3rd episode in the 16th-century (CE) epic poem, Rāmcaritmānas by Tulsidas.

The name is exclusively feminine in Thailand but is considered unisex in India.

Sources

Arjun

Posted on by
Reply

Gender: Masculine
Origin: Indian अर्जुन
Meaning: “white; shining; silver.”
(AR-jun)

The name is a modern transcription of the male Indian name, Arjuna अर्जुन, which is derived from the Sanskrit meaning “white; shining; silver.” It is a cognate with the Latin word argentum.

In Hinduism, it was borne by the greatest warrior and archer on earth, the son of the god Indra and the mortal woman Kunti. His story is reminiscent of the Greek legend of Hercules.

Currently, Arjun is the 639th most popular male name in the United States, (2010).

Other forms of the name include:

Harjuna/Harjuno/Herjuno (Indonesian/Javanese)
Ranjuna (Malay)
Arjuna अर्जुन (Sanskrit)
Aruccunan அருச்சுனன் (Tamil)
Orachun อรชุน (Thai)

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/arjuna

Rose

Posted on by
Reply

Gender: Feminine
Origin: English/French

The name was originally a Norman form of the Germanic name Rohese/Roese, which was composed of the elements hrod meaning “fame” and heid meaning “kind, sort, type.”

The name was revived in the 19th-century by which time it was associated with the flower. In the floral case, the word is derived from the Latin rosa.

Consequently, it is also the word for pink in several European languages.

In the United States, Rose is probably one of the most common middle names given to baby girls, but as a first name, it is rather unusual. Currently, Rose only ranked as the #343rd most popular female name, (2008).

Her rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • # 92 (Australia, 2008)
  • # 91 (France, 2006)

In the Netherlands, Rosa was the 89th most popular female name (2008); and in Ireland, its vernacular form of Róisin ranked in as the 28th most popular female name, (2008).

Other forms of the name include:

  • Arrosa (Basque)
  • Ruža (Bosnian/Croatian/Slovene: common diminutive is Ružica)
  • Rozenn (Breton)
  • Roza Роза (Bulgarian/Croatian/Serbian/Slovene/Russian)
  • Ruzha Ружа (Bulgarian/Macedonian)
  • Rosa (Catalan/Dutch/English/Finnish/Galician/German/Italian/Portuguese/Romanian/Scandinavian/Spanish)
  • Rosen (Cornish)
  • Růže (Czech)
  • Roos (Dutch/Limburgish/Estonian: ROWS)
  • Roosje (Dutch: originally a diminutive form, occasionally used as an independent given name. RO:-shə)
  • Rohesia (English/Latin: Latinized version of Rohese. ro-HEE-zee-uh; ro-HEE-zhuh)
  • Rose (English/French/Scandinavian)
  • Royse (English: a Medieval Cognate, the name was actually a feminine given name, but due to its associations with Royce, it is often mistaken for a male name)
  • Roosa/Ruusa/Ruusu (Finnish)
  • Roseline (French)
  • Roselle (French)
  • Rosette (French)
  • Rosine (French)
  • Róza (Hungarian)
  • Rozina (Hungarian)
  • Rozita (Hungarian)
  • Rózsa (Hungarian: RO;jaw: Rózsi is the diminutive)
  • Rós (Icelandic)
  • Róis/Róise (Irish-Gaelic)
  • Róisin (Irish-Gaelic: ro-SHEEN; ROSH-een; ROW-sheen)
  • Rosella/Rossella (Italian)
  • Rosellina/Rossellina (Italian)
  • Rosetta (Italian)
  • Rosina (Italian)
  • Rosinella (Italian)
  • Rožė (Lithuanian: ROO-zhey)
  • Róža (Polish: ROO-zhah)
  • Rosita (Spanish: originally a diminutive form, occasionally used as an independent given name)
  • Rhosyn (Welsh)
  • Raisa (Yiddish: RYE-zah)
  • Raisel (Yiddish)

Common Italian compound names include: Annarosa, Mariarosa, Rosangela, Rosanna and Rosamaria.

Common English/French compounds are: Rosanne, Rosemary and Rosemarie.

A common English pet form is Rosie.

Italian masculine forms include: Roso, Rosello, Rosino and Rosetto.

Vernacular forms

These are names found in other languages that literally mean “rose” but which are also not related to the Latin/Germanic form of Rose/Rosa.

  • Qızılgül (Azeri)
  • Gul (Farsi)
  • Vardo (Georgian)
  • Vered וֶרֶד (Hebrew)
  • Mawar (Indonesian)
  • Kolab (Khmer)
  • Kulap (Thai)
  • Gül (Turkish)
  • Hòng (Vietnamese)
  • Huòng (Vietnamese: can also mean pink)

An Armenian masculine form is Vartan.

The name is also borne by a few Catholic saints.

The designated name-days are: August 23 (France), July 2 (Sweden).

Sources

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/namedays/search.php?terms=rosa
  2. http://www.askoxford.com/firstnames/rose?view=uk