Girl · Tamil
Vanathi
வானதிSay it VAA-na-thi
- Meaning today
- Forest dweller
- Original meaning
- "the Ganges, as the river of the sky" Tamil Lexicon, p. 3626
- Say it
- VAA-na-thi
- Written
- வானதி
- Other spellings
- Vaanathi, Vanathy
Vanathi
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Vanathi meaning
Vanathi (வானதி) is a Tamil girl's name.
Meaning today
Forest dweller
Original Tamil meaning
"the Ganges, as the river of the sky"
Source: Tamil Lexicon, University of Madras (1924–36), p. 3626 · entry vāṉati (வானதி) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
Vanathi (வானதி) is formed from Tamil vāṉ, sky, and nati, river, and the Tamil Lexicon of the University of Madras defines it as the Ganges, 'as celestial', the river that flows in heaven before it falls to earth. Name lists today usually give 'forest dweller', which seems to come from reading the first syllable as Sanskrit vana, forest; that sense is not in the Lexicon, so it is a modern meaning. The name is best known from Vanathi, the Kodumbalur princess in Kalki's novel Ponniyin Selvan, and is borne by the politician Vanathi Srinivasan.
References: Tamil Lexicon, vāṉati (வானதி), p. 3626 · Tamil Lexicon, vāṉ (வான்), p. 3625 · Wikipedia, Ponniyin Selvan · Wikipedia, Vanathi Srinivasan
Famous namesakes
- Vanathi Srinivasan, Tamil Nadu politician
Spellings
Vanathi · Vaanathi · Vanathy