Boy · Tamil (with Sanskrit īśa) · Tamil · Hindu
Kathiresan
கதிரேசன்Say it kuh-thi-RAY-sun
- Meaning today
- Lord of light, Lord Murugan
- Original meaning
- "katir (ray of light) with īcaṉ (lord): lord of light, Murugan" Tamil Lexicon, p. 712
- Say it
- kuh-thi-RAY-sun
- Written
- கதிரேசன்
- Other spellings
- Kadhiresan
Kathiresan
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Kathiresan meaning
Kathiresan (கதிரேசன்) is a Tamil and Hindu boy's name.
Katir (ray of light) with īcaṉ (lord): lord of light, Murugan
Also used to mean: Lord Murugan
Kathiresan (கதிரேசன்) joins the Tamil katir, a ray of light or sunlight, with īcaṉ, from Sanskrit īśa, which the Tamil Lexicon gives as the Supreme Being, Shiva, and a lord or master. The vowels merge, as in Kumaresan, to give "lord of rays" or "lord of light". In Tamil devotion it is a name of Murugan: the Old and New Kathiresan temples in Colombo are dedicated to him. The name is used by Tamil families in India and especially in Sri Lanka.
Source: Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras (1924–36), p. 712 · entry katir¹ (கதிர்) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Tamil Lexicon, katir (கதிர்), p. 712 · Tamil Lexicon, īcaṉ (ஈசன்), p. 374 · Lakpura, Old Kathiresan Temple · Monier-Williams, īśa, p. 171
How the name is built
- Kathir கதிர்: ray of light; sunlight
Tamil Lexicon 712 - Esan ஈசன்: the Supreme Being; Shiva; lord, master
Tamil Lexicon 374 · Monier-Williams 171
Spellings
Kathiresan · Kadhiresan