Tamil Baby Names Honor Heritage
Tamil baby names have their roots in the ancient Tamil language, which is venerated in Tamil culture as Tamil Thai “Mother Tamil”. Tamil is one of the oldest surviving classical languages in the world, with a literary tradition dating back more than two thousand years and around 75 million native speakers worldwide.
Most Tamil speakers live in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, in the Indian union territory of Puducherry, and in the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. In the US, one of the most famous people of Tamil descent is Vice President Kamala Harris, whose mother was born in what is now Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Naming Customs
Despite their rich cultural history, lists of authentic Tamil baby names can be difficult to find. In recent decades, Tamil parents have increasingly turned to names of other origins – particularly Hindi and Sanskrit – motivated by factors like religion and fashion.
Traditional Tamil names follow a different structure to most Western naming conventions. Patronymic names are widespread, with the father’s name appearing as a second name or in the form of an initial. A person named Kayal, for example, may be known as Kayal Amar (the father’s name), or as A. Kayal or Kayal A. Some women also choose to take their husband’s name in place of their father’s after marriage.
Earlier Tamil naming practices used a caste name, such as Iyer or Pillai, in a similar way to a Western surname: for example, Kayal Pillai or A. Kayal Pillai. But there has been a strong movement away from the caste system over the past century and very few Tamil families still use caste names in this way.
Tamil Baby Names With Meanings
Name meanings hold strong significance in Tamil culture. According to art historian Dr R. Venkatraman, cited in The Hindu, “Ancient Tamil names defined qualities that were expected in a person, such as bravery, love, chivalry and beauty.”
Positive name meanings remain a top priority for modern Tamil parents. Popular categories of meaning include nature names, royal and hero names, virtue names, and names honoring the Tamil language and literature. Some of the trendiest Tamil names of the moment are Kavin “nature’s beauty”, Kayal “carp fish”, Viyan “pride” and Yazhini “musical instrument”.
Below is a selection of the best authentic Tamil baby names with positive meanings, listed together with their gender (masculine, feminine or neutral) and meaning.
A note on pronunciation: the letter A in Tamil, as in most Indian languages, is pronounced like the U in “umbrella”. The letter ழ (transcribed into English as “zh”) has a sound that is unique to Tamil, similar to the English L. You can hear the pronunciation here.
Tamil Nature Names
Nature names are perennially popular in many cultures around the world, symbolizing natural beauty, life and regeneration. Tamil nature names for girls are especially abundant, often drawn from the names of flowers and jewels.
Akil (M) – type of tree
Alari (N) – water
Arima (M) – lion
Ithazha (F) – petal
Kathiravan (M) – sun
Kavin (N) – nature’s beauty
Kaya (F) – purple flower
Kayal (F) – carp fish
Kondrai (N) – yellow flower
Kurinji (F) – rare flower; highlands
Kuvalai (F) – water lily
Kuyili (F) – voice like a cuckoo
Malar (N) – flower
Mathi (N) – moon
Neidhal (N) – seashore
Nila (F) – moon
Nithila (F) – pearls
Pakalon (M) – sun
Thali (N) – raindrops
Thendral (F) – cool breeze
Veeyan (M) – flowers
Tamil Regal Names
There have been numerous great rulers throughout the history of Tamil Nadu, who are revered for their courage, honesty and benevolence. Most notable are the Kadai Ezhu Vallalgal – known in English as the “last great patrons” or “seven charitable kings” of Tamil history. Tamil parents have often chosen to name their children after these rulers, or to give them names meaning monarch or ruler.
Andiran (M) – Tamil ruler
Angavai (F) – daughter of Paari
Arasan (M) – king
Arasi (F) – queen
Athiyaman (M) – one of the seven charitable kings
Aviyan (M) – Tamil king
Evvi (N) – Tamil king
Ilavarasi (F) – princess
Koman (M) – emperor
Mannan (M) – king
Maruthu (M) – Tamil kings
Nallini (F) – Tamil queen
Nannan (M) – regional king
Paari (M) – one of the seven charitable kings
Salbu (N) – nobility
Sangavai (F) – second daughter of Paari
Thennan (M) – king
Veeramangai (F) – brave young woman; warrior queen Velu
Velu (N) – warrior queen
Vendhan (M) – king
Tamil Virtue Names
Tamil literature places a strong emphasis on being virtuous and having a strong moral compass, and these values are reflected in the names parents choose for their children. Virtue names are one of the most popular categories of Tamil names with positive meanings.
Aatral (N) – wisdom
Amara (F) – fitting, perfect, desire, strife
Anbu (N) – love, affection
Aran (M) – warrior like
Arivu (N) – wisdom
Avira (F) – bright
Emi (N) – alone
Ilan (M) – youthful
Iniya (F) – sweet
Kalaiselvi (F) – rich in skill
Kalini (F) – flourishing
Kamari (F) – beauty
Madhi (N) – intelligence
Magizhan (M) – happy
Nalina (F) – pride
Narumai (N) – goodness
Navilan (M) – leadership
Salini (F) – great
Valavan (M) – skilful
Valli (F) – benevolence
Veeran (M) – warrior, brave
Via, Veeya (F) – perfect
Viyan (M) – pride
Names Honoring the Tamil Language and Literature
The great love and respect Tamil people feel towards their language is often compared to a child’s love for their mother. Sangam (classical Tamil) literature, which dates from at least 100 BCE, includes various poems specifically dedicated to the reverence of the language. Naming children after the Tamil language or taking inspiration from literature is an age-old practice that is still very popular today.
Aadhirai (F) – literary name; star
Inthamizh (N) – sweet
Isai (N) – music
Iyal (N) – literature, text
Kannagi (F) – epic heroine
Kavya (F) – poetry
Manimekalai (F) – one of the five great Tamil epics; girdle of gems
Poonguzhali (F) – literary character; hair adorned with flowers
Thamizhachi (F) – Tamil woman
Thamizhchelvan (M) – rich in Tamil knowledge
Thamizhchelvi (F) – rich in Tamil knowledge
Thenmozhi (F) – honey-like language
Tholkappiyan (M) – ancient Tamil text
Venba (N) – classical form of Tamil poetry
Yazhini (F) – musical instrument