Kannada Baby Boy Names with Meanings

Kannada families often name a son after Udupi Krishna, Manjunatha of Dharmasthala, or a king or poet from Karnataka's history. The name is usually announced at the namakarana ceremony, and many families choose one linked to their kuladevata, the family deity. Here are Kannada baby boy names with their meanings and Kannada spellings, from temple names to classic and modern favourites.

1. Names of Udupi Krishna

The child Krishna of Udupi, whose temple was founded by Madhvacharya in the 13th century, is loved across Karnataka. Devotees view the deity through the Kanakana Kindi, a small window linked to the legend of the poet-saint Kanaka Dasa. The Haridasa poets sang of Krishna in Kannada, and his names remain among the most common for boys.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Krishna	The dark one; the god of the Udupi temple (ಕೃಷ್ಣ)
Balakrishna	Child Krishna; the Udupi idol shows the young Krishna (ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣ)
Vittal	Krishna as Vithoba, sung by the Kannada Haridasa poets (ವಿಠಲ್)
Gopal	Protector of cows; a name of Krishna (ಗೋಪಾಲ್)
Mukunda	Giver of liberation; a name of Vishnu (ಮುಕುಂದ)
Achyuta	The imperishable one; a name of Vishnu (ಅಚ್ಯುತ)

2. Names of Manjunatha and Shiva

Shiva is worshipped at Dharmasthala, Nanjangud and Gokarna. Gokarna on the coast is believed to hold Shiva's Atmalinga, which Ravana is said to have carried from Kailasa. Manjunatha of Dharmasthala, whose temple is administered by the Jain Heggade family, is one of the most visited shrines in the state.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Manjunath	The beautiful lord; Shiva of Dharmasthala (ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್)
Nanjunda	One who swallowed the poison; Shiva of Nanjangud (ನಂಜುಂಡ)
Mahabaleshwar	The lord of great strength; Shiva of Gokarna (ಮಹಾಬಲೇಶ್ವರ್)
Shivakumar	Son of Shiva (ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ್)
Gangadhar	He who holds the Ganga in his hair; a name of Shiva (ಗಂಗಾಧರ್)
Chandrashekar	One who wears the moon on his head; a name of Shiva (ಚಂದ್ರಶೇಖರ್)

3. Names from Karnataka Temples

Gods and saints of famous shrines across Karnataka. The state is home to the Hoysala temple at Belur, the island town of Srirangapatna on the Kaveri and the Jain centre of Shravanabelagola, where the 57-foot statue of Bahubali is anointed in the Mahamastakabhisheka every twelve years. Many families name a son after the deity of a shrine they visit every year.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Anjaneya	Son of Anjana; Hanuman, linked to Anjanadri hill near Hampi (ಆಂಜನೇಯ)
Subrahmanya	Lord Kartikeya, the god of Kukke Subrahmanya (ಸುಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ)
Ranganath	Vishnu reclining on the serpent; the god of Srirangapatna (ರಂಗನಾಥ್)
Chennakeshava	The handsome Keshava; Vishnu of the Hoysala temple at Belur (ಚೆನ್ನಕೇಶವ)
Bahubali	One with strong arms; the Jain saint whose statue stands at Shravanabelagola (ಬಾಹುಬಲಿ)
Raghavendra	Lord of the Raghus, Rama; also the saint Raghavendra Swamy, revered across Karnataka (ರಾಘವೇಂದ್ರ)

4. Names from Kannada History and Literature

Kings, reformers and poets of the Kannada land. Basavanna's vachanas, short poems in plain Kannada, challenged caste in the 12th century, and the Haridasa saints later carried music and devotion into ordinary homes. These names connect a child to the Kadamba, Hoysala and Vijayanagara past.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Basavaraj	King of bulls; after Basavanna, the 12th-century poet and reformer (ಬಸವರಾಜ್)
Vishnuvardhan	One who increases Vishnu's glory; the Hoysala king who built the Belur temple (ವಿಷ್ಣುವರ್ಧನ್)
Harihara	Vishnu and Shiva as one; also Harihara I, co-founder of the Vijayanagara empire (ಹರಿಹರ)
Purandara	Destroyer of forts, a name of Indra; also Purandara Dasa, the father of Carnatic music (ಪುರಂದರ)
Kanaka	Gold; also Kanaka Dasa, the Haridasa poet-saint (ಕನಕ)
Mayura	Peacock; after Mayurasharma, founder of the Kadamba dynasty (ಮಯೂರ)

5. Modern Kannada Boy Names

Short names popular with Kannada parents today. Several were made familiar by Kannada film stars, such as Darshan, Yash, Puneeth Rajkumar and Sudeep. They are easy to say in any language and still carry Sanskrit meanings.

Names For Boys

Name	Meaning
Darshan	Vision; a sight of the divine (ದರ್ಶನ್)
Yash	Fame, glory (ಯಶ್)
Puneeth	Pure, holy (ಪುನೀತ್)
Sudeep	A bright light (ಸುದೀಪ್)
Rakshith	Protected (ರಕ್ಷಿತ್)
Vihaan	Dawn, morning (ವಿಹಾನ್)
Tejas	Brilliance, radiance (ತೇಜಸ್)