Boy · Sanskrit · Hindu
Nataraj
नटराजSay it nut-RAAJ
- Meaning today
- Lord of dance, king of dancers
- Original meaning
- "king of dancers: Shiva as the cosmic dancer" Monier-Williams, p. 525
- Say it
- nut-RAAJ
- Written
- नटराज
- Other spellings
- Natraj, Nataraja, Natarajan
Nataraj
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Nataraj meaning
Nataraj (नटराज) is a Hindu boy's name of Sanskrit origin.
King of dancers: Shiva as the cosmic dancer
Also used to mean: lord of dance
Nataraj (नटराज) means "king of dancers", from Sanskrit naṭa, which Monier-Williams gives as an actor, dancer or mime, and rāja, "king". It is the title of Shiva as the cosmic dancer, shown in the famous Chola bronzes dancing within a ring of fire, one foot raised, as he destroys and renews the universe. The temple at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu is dedicated to him in this form. Name lists give "lord of dance", which matches. The Tamil form of the name is Natarajan.
In Hindu tradition this is a name of Shiva.
Source: Monier-Williams, Sanskrit–English Dictionary (1899), p. 525 · entry naṭa · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Monier-Williams, naṭa, p. 525 · Monier-Williams, rāja, p. 872 · Britannica, Nataraja
How the name is built
- Naṭa :
- Rāja :
Fits your syllable
First sound न
Anuradha nakshatra, pada 1 · Vrishchik rashi
This exact sound isn't in the table; the closest is ना, which differs only in vowel length. North Indian table. Tables vary by region and family tradition, so confirm with your priest.
Spellings
Nataraj · Natraj · Nataraja · Natarajan