10 Baby Names for Boys and Girls that mean ‘Divine Knowledge’

Introduction

Choosing a name that carries the sense of divya jnana — divine knowledge — is common across Hindu traditions. Different schools use slightly different vocabularies: Vedanta speaks of para-vidya (higher knowledge) and apara-vidya (lower knowledge), Śaiva and Śākta texts use terms like vijnana and jnana for transformative insight, and the Bhagavad Gita contrasts action and wisdom in its teaching on jnana-yoga. Below are ten names (with masculine and feminine forms where customary) that evoke the idea of sacred or divine knowledge, with short notes on roots, scriptural context, pronunciation, and sensible usage.

Names and notes

1. Vidya (f) / Vidyadhar (m)

• Meaning: Vidya — knowledge, learning; Vidyadhar — bearer of learning.
• Root and note: From root vid, “to know.” Vidya is a central term in the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita; classical texts contrast para-vidya (higher knowledge) and apara-vidya (lower, scholastic knowledge) (see Mundaka Upanishad).
• Pronunciation: VID-yah / vid-YA-dhar.
• Usage: Widely used for girls; Vidyadhar is a dignified masculine form often found in literature and folklore.

2. Jnana (unisex) / Jnanika (f) / Jnani (m)

• Meaning: Jnana — knowledge, spiritual knowing; Jnani — one who knows; Jnanika — woman of knowledge.
• Context: The Bhagavad Gita uses jnana extensively in its chapters on wisdom and renunciation. Many medieval saints adopted forms like Jnani.
• Pronunciation: JNYAH-nah / jnya-NEE / jnya-NEE-kah.

3. Veda (m) / Vedika (f)

• Meaning: Veda — sacred knowledge; Vedika — pertaining to the Vedas or a vessel/altar of knowledge.
• Context: Veda literally means “knowledge” and names the corpus of śruti. The Mundaka Upanishad explicitly treats Vedic learning and the higher knowledge it points to.
• Pronunciation: VEH-dah / ve-DEE-kah.

4. Vedant (m) / Vedanti (f)

• Meaning: “End of the Vedas” — used to mean the philosophical culmination or supreme knowledge taught in the Upanishads.
• Context: Vedanta is the approach that reads the Upanishads as ultimate teaching about Brahman and Atman; the name suggests orientation toward spiritual wisdom.
• Pronunciation: VAY-dant / ve-DAN-ti.

5. Vijnan (m) / Vijnani (f)

• Meaning: Vijnana — specialised or direct knowing, often translated as “higher knowledge” or “discerned wisdom.”
• Context: The term appears in classical literature (for example, the title Vijnana Bhairava in Śaiva traditions) to denote experiential awareness rather than mere book learning.
• Pronunciation: vij-NAAN / vij-NAA-nee.

6. Brahmavid (m) / Brahmavidya (f)

• Meaning: Brahmavid — knower of Brahman; Brahmavidya — the knowledge of Brahman itself.
• Context: Found in Smriti and Purāṇic contexts as a technical designation for those who know the ultimate reality (Brahman). It conveys very explicit spiritual meaning.
• Pronunciation: BRAH-ma-vid / brah-ma-VID-ya.

7. Prajna (f) / Prajñan (m)

• Meaning: “Higher wisdom” or discriminative insight.
• Context: The Upanishads and later poets use prajna to indicate a deep, settled wisdom. It is also used in Buddhist Sanskrit but appears in Hindu texts too.
• Pronunciation: PRAJ-nah / praj-NAN.

8. Vivek (m) / Viveka (f)

• Meaning: Discernment — the power to tell the eternal from the transient; a key virtue in Vedanta.
• Context: Prominent in Advaita and in Shankaracharya’s commentaries as an essential qualification for realising knowledge (e.g., the need for viveka along with renunciation).
• Pronunciation: VIH-vek / vi-VEH-ka.

9. Tattvadarshi (m) / Tattvadarshini (f)

• Meaning: “Seer of the truth/principle” (tattva — principle; darshi — seer).
• Context: Suggests direct philosophical insight into the nature of reality — used in classical Sanskrit compounds to praise realised teachers.
• Pronunciation: TUT-tva-dar-shee / tatt-va-dar-SHEE-nee.

10. Jnaneshwar (m) / Jnaneshwari (f)

• Meaning: “Lord/one of knowledge.”
• Context: Carried by historical figures (for example, the Marathi saint Jnaneshwar/Jnanadeva). It has devotional and cultural resonance in several regions; use aware of local associations.
• Pronunciation: jnya-NESH-war / jnya-NESH-wa-ree.

Practical notes

• Scriptural echoes: If you want a name closely tied to a particular text, look to the Mundaka Upanishad (on para-vidya), the Bhagavad Gita (on jnana and jnana-yoga), and classical commentaries (e.g., Shankara on viveka).
• Cultural sensitivity: Some names have strong regional or saintly associations; families across Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, Śākta, and Smārta backgrounds may prefer different nuances, so discuss with elders if cultural fit matters.
• Pronunciation and script: Spellings in Roman script vary; check local scripts (Devanagari, Kannada, Bengali, etc.) for the exact form you prefer.
• Ritual/astrology: If your family follows naming rituals or consults a horoscope, include the chosen name in those discussions. (No health claims here — this is about cultural practice.)

Names that point to “divine knowledge” can be devotional, philosophical, or both. Each of the forms above carries slightly different connotations — scholastic learning, direct experiential wisdom, or the knower of the ultimate reality. Use the notes here as a starting point, and consult family tradition or scriptural preference for the final choice.