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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kartikeya

Kartikeya

♂ Boy

Pronounced kar-tih-KAY-yah /ˌkɑr.tɪˈkeɪ.jɑ/Medium

Meaning: From the Sanskrit Kartikeya, 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)'; the Hindu god of war and victory, son of Shiva, also called Skanda or Murugan; we note the godLow

In 30 seconds: Son of the Pleiades: Kartikeya is the Hindu war-god. Bold, classic, and warm (said 'kar-tih-KAY-yah'). We note the god.
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Origin LowHindu, Sanskrit
MeaningFrom the Sanskrit Kartikeya, 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)'; the Hindu god of war and victory, son of Shiva, also called Skanda or Murugan; we note the god
U.S. rank (2023)#11525 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 92

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201620062023

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

Kartikeya comes from the Sanskrit Kartikeya, 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)'; the Hindu god of war, son of Shiva (we note the god). A bold, classic name (said 'kar-tih-KAY-yah').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely as a mythology name. Rare, son-of-the-Pleiades at the root, and bold.

Did you know? Kartikeya is 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)' in Sanskrit — the Hindu god of war and victory, son of Shiva, also called Skanda or Murugan — a bold, storied name (we note the god; said 'kar-tih-KAY-yah').
Overall data confidence 48%
References — Kartikeya — Hindu mythology; god

Variations

KarthikeyaSkanda

Nicknames

Kartik

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kartikeya…

Shiva— his father
Parvati— his mother
Karthikeya— shares the -ya ending
Adithya— a fellow Sanskrit choice
Krishivreddy— the same mythology feel

Explore names like Kartikeya

By thememythologyhindugod
By meaningGod / DivineWarriorVictory

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kartikeya mean?

Kartikeya is Sanskrit for 'son of the Krittikas (the Pleiades)'; the god of war, son of Shiva. We note the god.

How do you pronounce Kartikeya?

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

Is Kartikeya a boy or girl name?

Kartikeya is a boy's name.

How popular is Kartikeya?

Kartikeya is a very rare name in the U.S.

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