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Ananda
Pronounced ah-NAHN-duh /ɑˈnɑn.də/Medium
Meaning: Ananda is a Sanskrit and Pali word meaning 'bliss; joy; happiness'. It is best known as the name of Ananda, the Buddha's cousin and chief attendant, and it appears in Hindu philosophy as a term for the highest joy. In South Asia it leans to boys as a given name — we note that honestly — while abroad it is often used for girls.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Ananda is a Sanskrit and Pali word for 'bliss, joy, happiness', and a term of real weight in Indian thought — it appears in the phrase sat-chit-ananda, 'being, consciousness, bliss'. It is also the name of the Buddha's cousin and chief attendant, who is said to have recited the discourses from memory at the First Council. As a given name in South Asia it leans to boys, which we note honestly; outside the region it is often given to girls. We note this heritage respectfully (said 'ah-NAHN-duh').
It appears only rarely in the U.S. Rare here, joyful, and deeply rooted.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Ananda mean?
Ananda is Sanskrit for 'bliss; joy; happiness'; it is also the name of the Buddha's chief attendant.
How do you pronounce Ananda?
It's said ah-NAHN-duh /ɑˈnɑn.də/ — three syllables, stress on the middle.
Is Ananda a boy or girl name?
Ananda leans to boys in South Asia — we note the lean — while abroad it is often used for girls; the clearly feminine form is Anandi.
How popular is Ananda?
Ananda is rare in the U.S.