About the name Bodhi
Bodhi names the exact moment of awakening under the fig tree at Bodh Gaya, which makes it one of the few Buddhist abstractions that reads as a real given name in English. Surfing culture and a certain 1991 film pushed it into American nurseries, and it now sits comfortably in the US top 500 without losing its Pali weight.
Bodhi is a boy name of Pali origin, pronounced BOH-dee. On the NameRarity scale it scores 42 out of 100, which places it in the uncommon band — familiar to everyone, yet rarely duplicated in the same room. Its strongest period was the 2020s.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Bodhi?
Bodhi sits at approximately #380 in recent US rankings. Roughly 210 people per million carry it — about 1 in 4,762. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Bodhi
- Bodhi ElfmanAmerican actor
Spellings and variants of Bodhi
Names similar to Bodhi
Anuruddha
ah-noo-ROOD-hah
Compliant, unobstructed, a cousin of the Buddha noted for divine sight
Nanda
NUN-dah
Joy, delight, also the Buddha's half-brother
Ananda
ah-NAHN-dah
Bliss, joy, also the Buddha's cousin and personal attendant
Bhavin
BHAH-vin
One who is full of feeling, a winner
Byron
BY-run
At the cattle sheds
Rahula
RAH-hoo-lah
Fetter, the name the Buddha gave his only son
Abel
AY-bul
Breath, vapour
Bhavesh
bhah-VESH
Lord of the world, an epithet of Shiva
Bodhi — frequently asked questions
What does the name Bodhi mean?
Bodhi means "Awakening, enlightenment, the tree under which the Buddha awoke". It is a name of Pali origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Bodhi?
Bodhi is pronounced BOH-dee, with 2 syllables.
How rare is the name Bodhi?
Bodhi scores 42 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it uncommon. Roughly 1 in every 4,762 people carry it — about 210 per million.
What is the numerology number for Bodhi?
Bodhi carries the expression number 11, known as The Visionary. Its soul urge number is 6 and its personality number is 5.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Bodhi?
The lucky number for Bodhi is 11 (with 2, 20, 29 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Pearl Shimmer. The traditional lucky day is Monday and the associated gemstone is Moonstone.
Is Bodhi a popular name?
Bodhi currently sits around rank #380 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 2020s.