10 unique baby names starting with the letter ‘S’

Introduction

Choosing a baby name in Hindu contexts often blends linguistic roots, scriptural resonances and devotional sentiment. Below are 10 distinctive names that start with the letter “S,” each given with a concise meaning, pronunciation cue, grammatical/gender note, and a short cultural or textual context. I note interpretive range where relevant; different schools and regional traditions may understand these words slightly differently.

• Samvara (सम्वार / सम्वरण) — “restraint, inner restraint”
  • Pronunciation: SAM-va-ra
  • Gender: Usually masculine but increasingly unisex
  • Root & sense: From Sanskrit saṃvara — restraint, control, regulating impulses. The term appears across dharma literature (dharma — ethical duty) and ascetic manuals.
  • Context: In Jain and some Yogic texts, saṃvara denotes ethical restraint and is a central practice. Using it as a name signals values of self-discipline and inner steadiness; interpretations differ about whether it points to renunciation or balanced self-regulation.
• Saanvi (सान्वी / सान्वि) — “devotee of Lakshmi / auspicious”
  • Pronunciation: SAAN-vee or SAAN-vi
  • Gender: Almost always feminine
  • Root & sense: A modern popular name often associated with Goddess Lakshmi (wealth and prosperity). Some derive it from Sanskrit forms linked to being “knowledgeable” or “connected.”
  • Context: While not an ancient personal name in major scriptures, Saanvi is widely used today; some families choose it for its association with Lakshmi or for its pleasant phonetic quality. Different commentators may trace slightly different etymologies, so families often explain the name’s devotional intent.
• Shaila (शैला / शैल) — “mountain; daughter of the mountain”
  • Pronunciation: SHAI-la
  • Gender: Feminine
  • Root & sense: From shaila — mountain. In devotional contexts it evokes the Himalaya and the Goddess Parvati (sometimes called Shailaputri — “daughter of the mountain”).
  • Context: In Śaiva and Śākta traditions the mountain imagery is strong: mountains are sites of tapas (austerity) and abode of deities. Shaila is poetic and carries those classical resonances without being sectarian.
• Sarvajna (सर्वज्ञ) — “all‑knowing, omniscient”
  • Pronunciation: SAR-vaj-na
  • Gender: Masculine (used as title or name)
  • Root & sense: Literally “knower of all.” Used as an epithet for divine figures and for learned sages. In Vedānta and Puranic contexts it can describe the supreme Brahman or an enlightened teacher.
  • Context: The name conveys aspiration toward wisdom; in some communities it is used honorifically for saints or scholars. Different traditions distinguish between human knowledge and the absolute knowing attributed to the divine.
• Smriti (स्मृति) — “that which is remembered; remembered tradition”
  • Pronunciation: SMRI-ti (or SMRi-ti)
  • Gender: Feminine
  • Root & sense: The technical Sanskrit category smriti stands opposite śruti — śruti meaning “that which is heard” (scripture revealed) and smriti meaning “that which is remembered” (tradition, law codes, epics).
  • Context: As a personal name it suggests respect for tradition and memory. Scholars note that the smriti corpus evolved over centuries; naming with this word evokes cultural continuity rather than a single text.
• Svarupa (स्वरूप) — “one’s own form; essential nature”
  • Pronunciation: SVA-roo-pa
  • Gender: Unisex
  • Root & sense: Svarūpa denotes intrinsic nature or true form; used in Advaita, Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva philosophy to describe the essential reality of a person or deity.
  • Context: Philosophical texts use the term in subtle ways — sometimes to mean ultimate reality, sometimes to mean the distinctive form of a deity (e.g., the svarupa of Vishnu or Shiva). As a name it carries contemplative and metaphysical overtones.
• Shravana (श्रवण / श्रवण) — “listening; the auspicious month or nakshatra”
  • Pronunciation: SHRA-va-na
  • Gender: Masculine or feminine (variants: Shravan, Shravani)
  • Root & sense: From the verbal root for “to hear” or “to listen.” It also names the month Shravan (usually July–August) and the lunar nakshatra Shravana.
  • Context: In many traditions attentive listening—shravaṇa—is the first step in spiritual practice. The name is linked to devotion, scriptural study, and filial piety (e.g., the filial son Shravana Kumar in epic lore).
• Sadhya (साध्य / सध्या) — “that which can be accomplished; also a group of Vedic deities”
  • Pronunciation: SAHDh-ya
  • Gender: Feminine; variants can be unisex
  • Root & sense: From sādhya — achievable, to be attained. In Vedic lists the Sādhyas are a class of semi-divine beings.
  • Context: As a name it suggests aspiration and successful attainment. Vedic and Puranic texts treat the Sādhyas in different ways; families may choose the name for poetic or ritual resonance.
• Saranya / Saranyu (सरन्य / सरण्यु) — “shelter, defender; a Vedic goddess”
  • Pronunciation: sa-RAN-ya / sa-RAN-yu
  • Gender: Feminine
  • Root & sense: In the Rigveda Saranyu (also spelled Saranya) is a goddess associated with light and dawn; linguistically the root also evokes refuge or shelter.
  • Context: The name connects to deep Vedic layers and to motherhood motifs; it can also carry the everyday meaning of refuge or protection.
• Sukriti (सुकृति) — “good deed, auspicious action”
  • Pronunciation: SU-kri-ti
  • Gender: Feminine
  • Root & sense: Literally “su-kṛti” — good action or meritorious deed. The term occurs in ethical and ritual contexts describing pious actions that yield benefit.
  • Context: As a personal name it conveys moral aspiration and positive agency. Different texts nuance what counts as su-kṛti, so the name is open to ethical interpretation rather than fixed dogma.

Notes on choosing and using these names

Families commonly consider pronunciation, regional scripts, nakshatra (lunar mansion), and family tradition when selecting a name. Some communities avoid names that are tightly reserved for a particular deity in ritual contexts; others freely use divine epithets as personal names. If you wish, consult a family elder, priest or a knowledgeable astrologer for customs like starting letters according to nakshatra—practices vary by region and community.

Final remark

These ten names illustrate how a single syllable can carry ethical, devotional, mythic and philosophical layers. I have noted where words appear in scriptures or schools (Vedic, Puranic, Vedāntic, Śaiva etc.), but interpretations differ across sources and regions; treat the brief contextual notes here as starting points for deeper family conversations about meaning and lineage.