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Home › Baby Names Directory › Karthikeya

Karthikeya

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Karthikeya

Pronounced kar-tih-KAY-ah /ˌkɑr.tɪˈkeɪ.ɑ/Medium

Meaning: From Sanskrit Kartikeya, 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)' — the Hindu god of war (Skanda/Murugan), son of ShivaMedium

In 30 seconds: The god of war: Karthikeya is the warrior son of Shiva — 'son of the Pleiades'. Devout, strong, and grand.
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Origin HighSanskrit
MeaningFrom Sanskrit Kartikeya, 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)' — the Hindu god of war (Skanda/Murugan), son of Shiva
U.S. rank (2024)#5140 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births19 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 337

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201620042024

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

Karthikeya comes from Sanskrit Kartikeya, 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)' — the Hindu god of war (also called Skanda, Murugan, or Subramanya), the son of Shiva and Parvati, commander of the gods' armies. A devout, strong, grand name across India.

In the U.S. it appears in South Asian families. Rare, son-of-the-Pleiades at the root, and grand.

Did you know? Kartikeya (Skanda/Murugan) is the Hindu god of war, the son of Shiva and Parvati — 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)', who nursed him; a devout, strong, grand name.
Overall data confidence 80%
Sanskrit references — Kartikeya — etymology

Variations

KartikeyaKarthikKartik

Nicknames

Karthik

Famous Bearers

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If you like Karthikeya…

Arya— shares Karthikeya's Sanskrit roots
Agasthya— a fellow Sanskrit choice
Shourya— echoes that soft -ya sound
Arjunreddy— a similarly popular pick
Agastya— a fellow Sanskrit choice

Explore names like Karthikeya

By themesanskrithindu
By meaningGod / DivineWarrior

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Karthikeya mean?

Karthikeya is Sanskrit for 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)' — the Hindu god of war, son of Shiva.

How do you pronounce Karthikeya?

It's said kar-tih-KAY-ah /ˌkɑr.tɪˈkeɪ.ɑ/ — four syllables, stress on the third.

Is Karthikeya a boy or girl name?

Karthikeya is a boy's name.

How popular is Karthikeya?

Karthikeya is a rare name in the U.S.

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