Jain Baby Boy Names with Meanings

Jain families often name a son after one of the 24 Tirthankaras, after Lord Mahavira, or with a word from Jain teaching such as Arihant or Samyak. Many of these names are Sanskrit or Prakrit and carry the Jain ideals of non-violence and self-conquest. Here are Jain baby boy names with their meanings and Devanagari spellings, from Tirthankara names to modern favourites.

1. Names of the Tirthankaras

Jains honour 24 Tirthankaras, the 'ford-makers' who showed the way across the river of rebirth, from Rishabhanatha (Adinath), the first, to Mahavira, the last. Neminatha is linked with Girnar and Parshvanatha, the 23rd, lived about 250 years before Mahavira.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Rishabh	After Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara (ऋषभ)
Ajit	Unconquered; the second Tirthankara (अजित)
Abhinandan	Rejoicing; the fourth Tirthankara (अभिनंदन)
Shreyans	Most excellent; the eleventh Tirthankara (श्रेयांस)
Vimal	Pure; the thirteenth Tirthankara (विमल)
Anant	Endless; the fourteenth Tirthankara (अनंत)
Nemi	After Neminatha, the 22nd Tirthankara (नेमि)
Parshva	After Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara (पार्श्व)

2. Names of Lord Mahavira

Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, was born Vardhamana, son of King Siddhartha and Queen Trishala, near Vaishali. Jain tradition gives him five names: Vardhamana, Vira, Ativira, Mahavira and Sanmati. His birth is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Mahavir	The great hero (महावीर)
Vardhaman	Ever growing; Mahavira's birth name (वर्धमान)
Vir	Brave, a hero (वीर)
Sanmati	Of good mind; a name of Mahavira (सन्मति)
Jinendra	Lord of the Jinas (जिनेन्द्र)

3. Names from Jain Teaching

The Navkar Mantra bows to the Arihants and the Siddhas, and the three jewels of Jainism are samyak darshan, samyak gyan and samyak charitra: right faith, right knowledge and right conduct, the path to moksha.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Arihant	Conqueror of inner enemies (अरिहंत)
Siddh	The perfected, liberated soul (सिद्ध)
Samyak	Right, complete; from the three jewels (सम्यक)
Darshan	Vision, faith (दर्शन)
Moksh	Liberation (मोक्ष)
Navkar	After the Navkar Mantra (नवकार)
Jinesh	Lord of the Jinas (जिनेश)

4. Names from Jain History

Bahubali, son of Rishabhanatha, is honoured by the great statue of Gommateshwara at Shravanabelagola, bathed every twelve years at the Mahamastakabhisheka. Jain tradition says India is called Bharatavarsha after his brother Bharata. Gautama was Mahavira's chief disciple, and the scholar Hemchandra guided King Kumarapala of Gujarat.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Bahubali	Mighty-armed; son of Rishabhanatha (बाहुबली)
Bharat	Rishabhanatha's son, after whom Bharat is named (भरत)
Gautam	After Gautama, Mahavira's chief disciple (गौतम)
Hemchandra	Golden moon; after Acharya Hemchandra (हेमचंद्र)
Kumarpal	After King Kumarapala of Gujarat (कुमारपाल)

5. Modern Jain Boy Names

Modern Jain names are often built on Jina, the victor, or on the Tirthankaras' names.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Jainam	One who follows the Jinas (जैनम)
Jinay	A follower of the Jina (जिनय)
Shreyansh	Most excellent (श्रेयांश)
Rushabh	The Gujarati form of Rishabh (ऋषभ)
Tirth	A ford, a holy place; as in Tirthankara (तीर्थ)