Boy · Tamil
Annamalai
அண்ணாமலைSay it UN-naa-muh-lai
- Meaning today
- Sacred hill of Shiva, Lord Shiva
- Original meaning
- "Tiruvannamalai, the hill-shrine of Shiva" Tamil Lexicon, p. 60
- Say it
- UN-naa-muh-lai
- Written
- அண்ணாமலை
Annamalai
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Annamalai meaning
Annamalai (அண்ணாமலை) is a Tamil boy's name.
Tiruvannamalai, the hill-shrine of Shiva
Also used to mean: sacred hill of Shiva, Lord Shiva
Annamalai (அண்ணாமலை) is the Tamil name of the sacred hill at Tiruvannamalai, also called Arunachala, where Shiva is worshipped as Annamalaiyar. The Tamil Lexicon defines aṇṇāmalai as Tiruvaṇṇāmalai, a Śiva shrine, citing the Periya Puranam; malai means hill. Name sites explain the first part in different ways, as "elder brother" or "food", but the Lexicon gives neither for this word and only compares aṇṇā with Sanskrit aruṇa, so we leave it as the hill's own name. Bearers include Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, founder of Annamalai University, and the politician K. Annamalai.
Source: Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras (1924–36), p. 60 · entry aṇṇā-malai (அண்ணாமலை) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Tamil Lexicon, aṇṇāmalai, p. 60 · Tamil Lexicon, aṇṇā, p. 60 · Wikipedia, Annamalaiyar Temple
Famous namesakes
- Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, founder of Annamalai University
- K. Annamalai, former IPS officer and Tamil Nadu BJP leader