10 baby boy names that mean ‘protector of faith’

Introduction

Choosing a name that means “protector of faith” brings together two important ideas in the Indian spiritual world: safeguarding sacred teaching and standing for moral truth. Here I use dharma — ethical duty and the sustaining order — along with related Sanskrit words like shruti (revealed scripture), śāstra (treatise / scripture) and veda (the Vedic corpus). Different traditions (Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, Buddhist, Smārta) may emphasize different texts or protectors; I note those perspectives briefly. Below are ten boy names that convey the sense “protector of faith,” with etymology, cultural notes and common short forms.

• Dharmapala (धर्मपाल)
  • Meaning: dharma + pāla — “protector of dharma/faith.”
  • Notes: Historically borne by rulers (for example the Pāla dynasty) and by the Buddhist class of guardian deities called dharmapālas. In broader Hindu use it denotes one who defends religious and ethical order.
  • Variants / pet names: Dharma, Pala.
• Satyapāl / Satyapal (सत्यपाल)
  • Meaning: satya — “truth”; pāla — “protector.” Literally “protector of truth,” closely allied with protecting religious veracity and faith.
  • Notes: Valued across traditions because satya (truth) is a cornerstone of many scriptural teachings; common in North India.
  • Variants: Saty, Pal.
• Vedapāla / Vedpal (वेदपाल)
  • Meaning: veda + pāla — “protector of the Vedas.”
  • Notes: Signals guardianship of sacred knowledge. In Smārta and Vedic lineages the phrase carries a conservative scholarly resonance; in Bhakti contexts it may indicate devotion to preserving scriptural tradition.
  • Variants: Ved, Pāl.
• Shrutipāl / Shrutipala (श्रुतिपाल)
  • Meaning: shruti + pāla — “protector of the Shruti (revealed scripture).”
  • Notes: Useful where family emphasis is on Vedic learning and transmission. “Shruti” is often glossed as the earliest, revealed layer of scripture.
  • Variants: Shruti (uncommon as a boy’s name in this form), Pal.
• Śāstrapāla / Shastrapal (शास्त्रपाल)
  • Meaning: śāstra + pāla — “protector of the śāstras (scriptural treatises or law-books).”
  • Notes: Appeals to families who value law, moral instruction and textual guardianship across systems—philosophy, pūjā manuals or Dharmaśāstra traditions.
  • Variants: Shastra, Pal.
• Dharmarakshak / Dharmarakshaka (धर्मरक्षक)
  • Meaning: dharma + rakṣaka — “guardian/protector of dharma.”
  • Notes: Rakṣaka is a common Sanskrit word for guardian. This form is slightly more Sanskritized than Dharmapala and is used in modern compounds and epithets.
  • Variants: Rakhak, Rakshu (colloquial).
• Dharmaveer / Dharmavir (धर्मवीर)
  • Meaning: dharma + vīra — “hero/warrior of dharma,” implying active protection of faith.
  • Notes: Conveys a moral courage dimension. In some regional usages it carries patriotic overtones; in religious contexts it praises those who defend religious values.
  • Variants: Veer, Vir.
• Devapāla (देवपाल)
  • Meaning: deva + pāla — “protector of the gods” or “protected by gods”; historically a ruler’s name and a title for guardians who serve religious institutions.
  • Notes: In Buddhist history “Devapāla” is an actual royal name; in Hindu circles it can suggest one who safeguards divine order and by extension religious practice.
  • Variants: Deva, Pala.
• Shraddhapāl / Shraddhapala (श्रद्धापाल)
  • Meaning: shraddhā — “faith/devotion”; pāla — “protector.” Literally “protector of faith/devotion.”
  • Notes: Uses the word shraddhā specifically for faith or devotional trust; resonates with families that emphasise bhakti (devotion). Different traditions may read shraddhā more philosophically or devotionally.
  • Variants: Shraddha (typically feminine), Pal.
• Shresthapāla / Shresthapal (श्रेष्ठपाल)
  • Meaning: śreṣṭha — “best, noble”; pāla — “protector.” Interpretable as “noble protector,” implicitly of religious or moral order.
  • Notes: Less literal than others but suitable when families want a name signalling moral leadership in protecting faith and tradition.
  • Variants: Shresth, Pal.

Choosing and using a name — practical notes

– Pronunciation and script: present the Devanagari if your family reads it; many names are easy to Anglicize (Satyapal → Satyapāl → Saty).
– Tradition and sect: some names (for example Vedapāla or Shrutipāl) have a clear Vedic/Smārta flavour; others (such as Dharmapala) have known Buddhist and historical associations. In Śaiva or Vaiṣṇava contexts the same name may be understood slightly differently — as protection of a particular community’s teachings.

– Ritual timing: if you plan naming according to nakshatra or tithi customs, consult a family priest or astrologer; this is a cultural preference and not a fixed rule.

Final note

Meanings and connotations evolve by region, family history and living tradition. These ten names give a range: from explicit compounds that literally read “protector of dharma/faith” to forms that prize devotion, truth or scriptural guardianship. Many are historically attested and respectful across schools; families often decide by sound, lineage, and which aspect of “protection” — legal, devotional, scholarly or heroic — they wish to emphasize.