Boy · Tamil · Hindu
Kathirvel
கதிர்வேல்Say it KUH-thir-vayl
- Meaning today
- Radiant spear, Lord Murugan
- Original meaning
- "katir (ray of light) with vēl (spear): Murugan's radiant spear" Tamil Lexicon, p. 3838
- Say it
- KUH-thir-vayl
- Written
- கதிர்வேல்
- Other spellings
- Kadhirvel, Kadirvel, Kathirvelu
Kathirvel
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Kathirvel meaning
Kathirvel (கதிர்வேல்) is a Tamil and Hindu boy's name.
Katir (ray of light) with vēl (spear): Murugan's radiant spear
Also used to mean: Lord Murugan
Kathirvel (கதிர்வேல்) joins katir, a ray of light or sunlight, with vēl, the spear. The Tamil Lexicon defines vēl as a dart, spear or lance and links it, probably, to the verb vel-, "to conquer". In Tamil devotion the vēl is the spear of Murugan, worshipped in its own right, so Kathirvel is read as "the shining spear" and used as a name of the god himself. Names built the same way include Kumaravel, Sakthivel and Vadivel.
Source: Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras (1924–36), p. 3838 · entry vēl¹ (வேல்) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Tamil Lexicon, katir (கதிர்), p. 712 · Tamil Lexicon, vēl (வேல்), p. 3838
How the name is built
- Kathir கதிர்: ray of light; sunlight
Tamil Lexicon 712 - Vel வேல்: dart, spear, lance; conquering
Tamil Lexicon 3838
Spellings
Kathirvel · Kadhirvel · Kadirvel · Kathirvelu