Boy · Sanskrit (Tamil usage) · Tamil
Dhandapani
தண்டபாணிSay it THUN-duh-paa-nee
- Meaning today
- One holding a staff, Lord Murugan of Palani
- Original meaning
- "staff in hand: Skanda (Murugan); also Vishnu, Yama" Tamil Lexicon, p. 1731
- Say it
- THUN-duh-paa-nee
- Written
- தண்டபாணி
- Other spellings
- Dandapani, Thandapani
Dhandapani
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Dhandapani meaning
Dhandapani (தண்டபாணி) is a Tamil boy's name of Sanskrit origin (Tamil usage).
Staff in hand: Skanda (Murugan); also Vishnu, Yama
Also used to mean: one holding a staff, Lord Murugan of Palani
Dhandapani (தண்டபாணி) means "he who holds a staff", from Sanskrit daṇḍa, "staff", and pāṇi, "hand". Monier-Williams gives daṇḍa-pāṇi as staff-handed and a name of Yama, but the Tamil Lexicon puts Skanda first, then Viṣṇu and Yama. In Tamil Nadu the name belongs to Murugan at Palani, worshipped as Dhandayuthapani, the ascetic boy-god holding a staff after he left home over the fruit of knowledge. Families who pray at Palani often give the name to sons. The singer and actor M. M. Dandapani Desikar, known as Isai Arasu, carried it.
Source: Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras (1924–36), p. 1731 · entry taṇṭapāṇi (தண்டபாணி) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Tamil Lexicon, taṇṭapāṇi, p. 1731 · Monier-Williams, daṇḍa-pāṇi, p. 466 · Wikipedia, Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple · Wikipedia, M. M. Dandapani Desikar
Famous namesakes
- M. M. Dandapani Desikar, Tamil singer and film actor
How the name is built
- Dandapani दण्डपाणि: staff-handed; a name of Yama
Monier-Williams 466
Spellings
Dhandapani · Dandapani · Thandapani