10 gentle baby names that mean ‘calm’ or ‘serene’

Śānti — peace, quiet and inner balance — is a long-standing value across Hindu thought, expressed in scriptures, bhakti poetry and everyday life. Families often choose names that carry that sense of calm: words denoting quiet, steadiness, contentment or gentle temperament. Below are ten gentle Sanskrit-rooted names that connote “calm” or “serene,” with meanings, linguistic notes, variations and brief cultural context. I note where different texts or traditions place emphasis; choices and spellings vary regionally, and many names are used across genders.

• Shanti

  • Root/meaning: from śānti — “peace,” “tranquillity.”
  • Gender: commonly female or unisex.
  • Variants: Shanti, Shanty, Śanti.
  • Context: “Om Shanti” is a widespread closing for prayers and a wish for peace in household and temple rites. Vedic and later texts use the word both for outer peace and inner calm; commentators differ on whether it primarily names absence of disturbance or a deeper inner state.
  • Pronunciation note: SHAHN-tee (soft “sh”).

• Shanta

  • Root/meaning: śanta — “calm,” “pacified,” “at peace.”
  • Gender: used for both sexes; Shanta (female) and Shant (male) are common forms.
  • Variants and cultural notes: The stem appears in names such as Shantanu (a king in the Mahābhārata). Many classical hymns describe sages or heroes as śanta when they have subdued passions.
  • Pronunciation: SHAHN-tuh.

• Prashant

  • Root/meaning: praśānta — “very calm,” “peaceful,” “serene.”
  • Gender: commonly male; Prashanti is the feminine form.
  • Context: The adjective is widely used in modern and religious contexts to describe a tranquil mind or place (many ashrams and retreat centres use Prashanti to name their campuses). Interpretive emphasis differs: some devotional streams link it to surrender, others to equanimity cultivated through practice.
  • Pronunciation: pruh-SHAHNT / pruh-SHAHN-tee (Prashanti).

• Nirav

  • Root/meaning: from nirava — “silent,” “calm,” “without noise.”
  • Gender: usually male; Nirav is popular in western India.
  • Variants: Nirav, Niravkumar (compound), Nirava (less common).
  • Context: Used in modern naming as a simple, contemporary option that evokes quiet and composure rather than explicitly devotional associations.
  • Pronunciation: NEE-ruv (short vowels).

• Dhruva

  • Root/meaning: “steady,” “firm,” “immovable.”
  • Gender: traditionally male (Dhruva is a celebrated Puranic child-devotee who attained the pole-star through steadfast devotion).
  • Context: The Puranic story of Dhruva is often cited as an exemplar of single-pointed focus and constancy; the name thus carries connotations of calm persistence rather than mere passivity.
  • Pronunciation: DHRU-vuh (DHR as in “dhruva”).

• Sama

  • Root/meaning: sama — “equal,” “even,” “equanimity.”
  • Gender: unisex; used as a short modern name or as a stem in longer names (Samarasa, Samanvaya etc.).
  • Context: Classical texts and many commentators (including on the Gītā) prize samatva or samat — even-mindedness. As a name, Sama points to balance and impartial calm.
  • Pronunciation: SAH-mah.

• Santosh

  • Root/meaning: “contentment,” from santoṣa.
  • Gender: commonly male; Santoshini or Santoshi used for females.
  • Context: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras list santosha as a niyama (a recommended discipline): contentment as a steady source of inner calm. The name evokes satisfied quiet rather than restless striving.
  • Pronunciation: sun-TOHSH / sun-TOH-shee (Santoshi).

• Kshama

  • Root/meaning: “forgiveness,” “patience,” “forbearance.”
  • Gender: generally female, though the quality is universal.
  • Context: Texts across traditions list kṣamā among virtues that steady the mind and reduce agitation. As a name it points to calm grounded in tolerance rather than suppression of feeling.
  • Pronunciation: KSHUH-mah (initial consonant cluster KSH).

• Somya

  • Root/meaning: “gentle,” “mild,” “pleasing.”
  • Gender: commonly female, but used unisex in some regions.
  • Context: Frequently used in classical Sanskrit poetry and prose to denote a gentle temperament. The quality is allied with serenity in devotional and ethical literature.
  • Pronunciation: SOHM-yah.

• Dhriti

  • Root/meaning: “steadfastness,” “fortitude,” “firmness of mind.”
  • Gender: commonly female.
  • Context: Classical and devotional texts praise dhṛti as a stabilising quality of a calm mind. As a name it emphasizes inner stability and composed resolve rather than mere passivity.
  • Pronunciation: DHRIT-ee (DR as in “dhrit”).

Choosing thoughtfully

Many Hindu families combine the name’s meaning with other customs — for example, naming according to a child’s nakṣatra (lunar mansion) or family tradition. If you follow astrological or ritual prescriptions, consult your family elders or a trusted pandit/guide about appropriate syllables. Spellings and pronunciations vary widely by region and language (Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, etc.), so consider how a name will sound and be written in everyday life.

Final note

Meanings in Sanskrit-rooted names can be layered: the same root may appear in Vedic mantras, medieval bhakti poetry and modern usage, each giving different shades of sense. Where I have linked a name to a text or tradition, that is one common reading; other communities and commentators may nuance the meaning differently. Choosing a name that evokes calm is a wish for a child’s inner steadiness — a hope that travels across sects and languages.