About the name Ananda
Ananda was the disciple who heard nearly every discourse the Buddha gave and recited them back at the First Council, which is why the suttas begin with the line thus have I heard. The word simply means bliss and is enormously common in Hindu usage as Anand, where it attaches to countless compound names.
Ananda is a boy name of Pali origin, pronounced ah-NAHN-dah. On the NameRarity scale it scores 81 out of 100, which places it in the very rare band — a genuinely uncommon pick — most people have never met anyone with this name. Its strongest period was the classical era.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Ananda?
Ananda currently falls outside the US top 1,000, which is a large part of why it scores so highly for rarity. Roughly 5.8 people per million carry it — about 1 in 172,414. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Ananda
- Ananda CoomaraswamyCeylonese art historian and philosopher of Indian art
- Ananda KrishnanMalaysian business magnate
Spellings and variants of Ananda
Names similar to Ananda
Nanda
NUN-dah
Joy, delight, also the Buddha's half-brother
Anuruddha
ah-noo-ROOD-hah
Compliant, unobstructed, a cousin of the Buddha noted for divine sight
Rahula
RAH-hoo-lah
Fetter, the name the Buddha gave his only son
Anand
AH-nahnd
Bliss, spiritual joy
Ashoka
ah-SHOH-kah
Without sorrow, also the emperor who spread the Dhamma
Sariputta
sah-ree-POOT-tah
Son of Sari, the Buddha's foremost disciple in wisdom
Abhinandan
uh-bee-NUN-dun
Rejoicing, congratulation, from Abhinandananatha, the fourth Tirthankara
Ahaan
uh-HAHN
Dawn, the break of day; also unstoppable
Ananda — frequently asked questions
What does the name Ananda mean?
Ananda means "Bliss, joy, also the Buddha's cousin and personal attendant". It is a name of Pali origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Ananda?
Ananda is pronounced ah-NAHN-dah, with 3 syllables.
How rare is the name Ananda?
Ananda scores 81 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it very rare. Roughly 1 in every 172,414 people carry it — about 5.8 per million.
What is the numerology number for Ananda?
Ananda carries the expression number 8, known as The Powerhouse. Its soul urge number is 3 and its personality number is 5.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Ananda?
The lucky number for Ananda is 8 (with 17, 26, 35 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Midnight Navy. The traditional lucky day is Saturday and the associated gemstone is Onyx.