Boy · Sanskrit · Hindu
Dev
देवSay it DAYV
Dev meaning
Dev (देव) is a Hindu boy's name of Sanskrit origin. By its first sound, दे, it is a Meen rashi name (Revati nakshatra) in the North Indian table.
Heavenly, divine; a god
Dev (देव) is the everyday form of Sanskrit deva, one of the oldest words in the language. As an adjective Monier-Williams gives "heavenly, divine", used even of earthly things of high excellence, and as a noun "a deity, god". In the plural it names the gods as a group, traditionally counted as thirty-three. The entry adds that deva was used of a king or a Brahman as a god among men, which is why it became an honorific in royal names and forms of address. Baby-name lists give "god" or "divine", matching the dictionary. Dev is short and easy in every Indian language and in English, and it also begins many longer names, such as Devansh, Devesh and Devendra.
Source: Monier-Williams, Sanskrit–English Dictionary (1899), p. 492 · entry deva · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Monier-Williams, deva, p. 492 · Britannica, Bollywood
Famous namesakes
- Dev Anand, a leading star of Hindi cinema's golden age
Popularity abroad
- #934 England and Wales, boys 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Fits your syllable
First sound दे
Revati nakshatra, pada 1 · Meen rashi
North Indian table. Tables vary by region and family tradition, so confirm with your priest.
Spellings
Dev · Deva