Hari

♂ Boy

Hari Pronunciation

Hari is pronounced HUH-ree /ˈhʌ.ri/High

Meaning: Tawny, golden-brown, bay-colored; an epithet and beloved name of the god Vishnu and of KrishnaHigh

In 30 seconds: One of God's everyday names in India: Hari names Vishnu himself — the word means 'tawny, golden'. Chanted in kirtans, carried by millions, light as two syllables.

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighSanskrit, Indian

MeaningTawny, golden-brown, bay-colored; an epithet and beloved name of the god Vishnu and of Krishna

U.S. rank (2024)#3233 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births37 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 848

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Hari is a Sanskrit color word — 'tawny, golden, bay' — that became one of the principal names of Vishnu and of Krishna, saturating Hindu devotion from the Vishnu Sahasranama to street-corner kirtans. Compounds run through Indian life: Hariprasad, Harish, the greeting 'Hari Om'.

The name travels the diaspora easily, identical in sound to English 'hurry'-adjacent Harry, which some bearers adopt as a slip-on anglicization. In the U.S. it is rare, devotional, and millennia-deep.

Did you know? The chant 'Hare Krishna' uses this very name in its vocative form — making Hari among the most-sung names on Earth.

Overall data confidence 90%

Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary — hari — word and epithet

Variations

HarryHarishHariom

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

★Hari Kondabolu (1982–present)
American stand-up comedian known for The Problem with Apu.

If you like Hari…

Krishna— the god whose epithet Hari is

Arjun— a fellow epic Indian classic for sons

Ravi— the sun name of the same compact build

Dev— the short Sanskrit 'god' companion

→ See all names like Hari

Browse the whole category: All Sanskrit names → · All Indian names → · All origins →

Frequently Asked

How do you pronounce Hari?

Hari is pronounced HUH-ree (/ˈhʌ.ri/). Press play above to hear Hari said aloud.

How do you say Hari?

Hari is said HUH-ree (/ˈhʌ.ri/). Press play above to hear Hari said aloud.

What does the name Hari mean?

Hari is Sanskrit for 'tawny, golden-brown' and is one of the principal names of Vishnu and Krishna.

Is Hari a boy or girl name?

Hari is a boy's name in Indian tradition.

How popular is Hari?

Hari is rare in the U.S. and ubiquitous across Hindu South Asia.