10 baby names that mean ‘blessed’ or ‘fortunate’

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On October 13, 2025

Why choose a name that means “blessed” or “fortunate”?

In many Hindu families a child’s name carries more than identity: it expresses aspiration, cosmology and gratitude. The act of naming—Namakarana — the naming ceremony—has scriptural sanction in the Gṛhya Sūtras and remains part of living tradition. Names that mean “blessed,” “graced” or “fortunate” draw on Sanskrit roots like bhāga (fortune), śubha (auspicious) and kripa (grace). Different sampradayas (Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, Śākta, Smārta) may highlight particular deities or theological readings, so meanings and associations can be plural rather than fixed.

Ten names (with meanings, roots and context)

Ashish / Aashish (आशीष)

Meaning: Blessing, benediction.
Root: from āśīṣ — blessing or benediction in classical Sanskrit.
Gender & use: Commonly male but used neutrally; popular across languages.
Context: Used in modern and devotional registers to convey the wish that the child be gifted with blessings from elders and deities.
Pronunciation: aa-SHISH

Anugrah / Anugraha (अनुग्रह)

Meaning: Divine favour, graceful assistance, blessing.
Root: anu (towards) + graha (seize/accept) — together implying benevolent acceptance or favour.
Gender & use: Male (Anugrah/Anugraha) and feminine forms appear in regional usage.
Context: Devotional literature and commentaries (Gītā commentators and bhakti texts) frequently speak of anugraha as the Lord’s saving grace; in Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava contexts it can refer specifically to the deity’s compassion.
Pronunciation: ah-noo-GRAH

Kripa (कृपा)

Meaning: Mercy, compassion, blessing.
Root: Sanskrit kripa — compassion or grace.
Gender & use: Common female name, also used for men in some communities; poetic and devotional tone.
Context: Appears in classical texts and devotional hymns as the divine quality that redeems; commentators note the centrality of kripa in bhakti.
Pronunciation: KREE-pah

Lakshmi / Laxmi (लक्ष्मी)

Meaning: Fortune, prosperity, auspiciousness; name of the goddess of wealth.
Root: Related to lakṣya (aim, mark) historically, but in practice Lakshmi is the presiding goddess of fortune.
Gender & use: Female; widely used across India in many languages.
Context: In Vaiṣṇava literature Lakshmi is Vishnu’s consort and the personification of fortune; Shakta texts also revere her as a goddess. Choosing Lakshmi connects the child to that longstanding devotional vocabulary.
Pronunciation: LUCK-shmee / LUCK-smē

Shubha / Shubham (शुभ)

Meaning: Auspicious, blessed, fortunate.
Root: śubha — positive, beautiful, favourable in Sanskrit usage.
Gender & use: Shubha typically feminine; Shubham
Context: The root appears throughout epic and purāṇic literature as an epithet and in ritual language describing auspicious omens and blessings.
Pronunciation: SHOOB-ha / SHOOB-hum

Bhagya / Bhagyashree / Bhagyavati (भाग्य / भाग्यश्री / भाग्यवती)

Meaning: Fortune, blessedness; lines offer feminine forms meaning “fortunate” or “endowed with fortune.”
Root: bhāgya from bhaga — a Vedic deity and concept of distributive fortune.
Gender & use: Bhagya neutral/masculine; BhagyashreeBhagyavati
Context: In the Rigveda, Bhaga is a god of prosperity; classical Sanskrit and regional literature keep the root alive in names indicating auspicious fate.
Pronunciation: BHAH-gyah / bhahg-ya-SHREE / bhahg-ya-VAH-tee

Saubhagya (सौभाग्य)

Meaning: Good fortune, auspicious destiny.
Root: saubhagya — possession of good fortune, often used for marital and familial felicity.
Gender & use: Mostly feminine in form but used more generally as a concept-name.
Context: Classical literature uses saubhagya to denote prosperity and blessed family life; in some devotional contexts it is applied to a goddess’s favour.
Pronunciation: sow-BHAH-gya

Prasad / Prasada (प्रसाद)

Meaning: Gift, divine favour, blessed offering.
Root: prasāda — grace, good will; in ritual it refers to blessed food offered to a deity.
Gender & use: PrasadPrasada
Context: The term is central to temple practice (prasāda as consecrated food) and devotional life; it connotes the deity’s blessing made manifest as a gift.
Pronunciation: pruh-SAHD / pruh-SAA-dah

Subhaga (सुभग)

Meaning: Fortunate, well-endowed with good qualities; sometimes “beautifully fortunate.”
Root: su (good) + bhaga (fortune).
Gender & use: Frequently feminine in classical literature; also an epithet in poetry.
Context: Appears in Sanskrit drama and poetry to describe lucky or well-favored characters; classical epics use it as praise.
Pronunciation: soo-BHAH-gah

Yashasvi / Yashashri (यशस्वी / यशश्री)

Meaning: Fortunate in the sense of being successful, illustrious, blessed with good reputation.
Root: from yashas — glory, renown; combined forms imply fortunate glory.
Gender & use: YashasviYashashri
Context: Used both in modern names and classical contexts to wish a life of well-earned success and auspicious recognition.
Pronunciation: YUH-shus-vee / yah-shuh-SHREE

Notes on choosing and using these names

Different families place different emphasis—some consult the janma-kundali or a priest to select a syllable; others prioritise family lineage, sound, or regional language fit. Names that mean “blessed” can carry theological freight (invoking Lakshmi or divine anugraha) or simply express a parental wish.

Be mindful of pronunciation across languages and of local connotations. Interpretations vary: Vaishnava readers may foreground Lakshmi’s role, Śaiva readers may speak of Śiva’s grace, and Smārta households may use a more neutral sacramental sense. All these readings are part of India’s plural landscape.

Practical caution: If a naming ritual involves fasting or extended rites, consult a doctor about health risks for pregnant or nursing mothers and infants.