About the name Bhanu
Bhanu is one of the twelve names of the sun recited in the Surya stotra, and it appears as the first half of dozens of compounds. It is used for both sexes across Maharashtra and Andhra, and India's first Oscar winner was a woman who bore it unchanged.
Bhanu is a unisex name of Sanskrit origin, pronounced BHAA-noo. On the NameRarity scale it scores 92 out of 100, which places it in the ultra rare band — fewer than 1 in 10,000 people carry this name. You will almost never meet another. Its strongest period was the 1960s.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Bhanu?
Bhanu currently falls outside the US top 1,000, which is a large part of why it scores so highly for rarity. Roughly 2.1 people per million carry it — about 1 in 476,190. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Bhanu
- Bhanu Athaiyacostume designer and the first Indian to win an Academy Award
Spellings and variants of Bhanu
Names similar to Bhanu
Aarya
AAR-yaa
Noble, worthy of respect
Bhavya
BHAAV-yaa
Grand, splendid, magnificent
Pallav
PUL-luv
A new leaf, the first shoot of spring
Prabha
PRUB-haa
Radiance, the halo of light around a deity
Shashi
SHUH-shee
The moon, marked with a hare
Yatri
YAA-tree
Traveller, one who goes on pilgrimage
Bhanumati
bhah-noo-MAH-tee
Possessing radiance, wife of Duryodhana in the Mahabharata
Bishnu
BISH-noo
The all-pervading preserver, the Bengali form of Vishnu
Bhanu — frequently asked questions
What does the name Bhanu mean?
Bhanu means "The sun, a beam of light". It is a name of Sanskrit origin, most often given to a unisex.
How do you pronounce Bhanu?
Bhanu is pronounced BHAA-noo, with 2 syllables.
How rare is the name Bhanu?
Bhanu scores 92 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it ultra rare. Roughly 1 in every 476,190 people carry it — about 2.1 per million.
What is the numerology number for Bhanu?
Bhanu carries the expression number 1, known as The Pioneer. Its soul urge number is 4 and its personality number is 6.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Bhanu?
The lucky number for Bhanu is 1 (with 10, 19, 28 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Sunlit Gold. The traditional lucky day is Sunday and the associated gemstone is Ruby.