Boy · Sanskrit (Tamil usage) · Tamil
Gnanaprakasam
ஞானப்பிரகாசம்Say it NYAA-nuh-pruh-gaa-sum
- Meaning
- Light of wisdom: ñāṉam "wisdom" + pirakācam "brightness, radiance" Tamil Lexicon, p. 2668
- Say it
- NYAA-nuh-pruh-gaa-sum
- Written
- ஞானப்பிரகாசம்
- Other spellings
- Gnanaprakash, Gnanapragasam, Gnanaprakasham
Gnanaprakasam
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Gnanaprakasam meaning
Gnanaprakasam (ஞானப்பிரகாசம்) is a Tamil boy's name of Sanskrit origin (Tamil usage).
Light of wisdom: ñāṉam "wisdom" + pirakācam "brightness, radiance"
Gnanaprakasam (ஞானப்பிரகாசம்) joins two Sanskrit words long at home in Tamil. Ñāṉam is wisdom, from learning to the sacred knowledge of God, and pirakācam, from Sanskrit prakāśa, is brightness, radiance or sunshine, and also fame. Together the name means "light of wisdom", which is how it is usually understood. It is used by both Shaiva and Christian Tamil families. A well-known bearer was Swami S. Gnanaprakasar (1875–1947) of Manipay, Jaffna, a Catholic priest who began An Etymological and Comparative Lexicon of the Tamil Language. The shorter Gnanaprakash is also used.
Source: Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras (1924–36), p. 2668 · entry pirakācam (பிரகாசம்) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Tamil Lexicon, pirakācam, p. 2668 · Tamil Lexicon, ñāṉam, p. 1689 · Gnana Prakasar, Studies in Tamil Etymology (Tamil Digital Library)
Famous namesakes
- Swami S. Gnanaprakasar, Jaffna priest and Tamil etymologist
How the name is built
- Gnana ஞானம்: wisdom, knowledge; spiritual wisdom
Tamil Lexicon 1689 - Prakasam பிரகாசம்: brightness, radiance, lustre; sunshine; fame
Tamil Lexicon 2668
Spellings
Gnanaprakasam · Gnanaprakash · Gnanapragasam · Gnanaprakasham