Mahendra
/M-AA-HH-EH-N-D-R-AA/
Great Indra, the great king — Mahendra (Kannada ಮಹೇಂದ್ರ, from maha 'great' + indra 'king of the devas') names Indra in his fullest majesty and serves also as an epithet of Shiva. It was borne by Mahendra of the Maurya line, Ashoka's son, who carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
See Mahendra scored for your familyQuick — what every parent wants to know about Mahendra:
Yes — Mahendra is a Hindu boy name of Kannada origin, meaning “Great Indra, the great king — Mahendra (Kannada ಮಹೇಂದ್ರ, from maha 'great' + indra 'king of the devas') names Indra in his fullest majesty and serves also as an epithet of Shiva. It was borne by Mahendra of the Maurya line, Ashoka's son, who carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka.”. It also appears in Buddhist tradition.
How well does Mahendra fit your family?
This page tells you what Mahendra means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against the names already in your family, your heritage, and your baby's exact birth star.
Unlock Mahendra's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Mahendra is a boy's name of Kannada origin, traditionally used in Hindu families. The name means "Great Indra, the great king — Mahendra (Kannada ಮಹೇಂದ್ರ, from maha 'great' + indra 'king of the devas') names Indra in his fullest majesty and serves also as an epithet of Shiva. It was borne by Mahendra of the Maurya line, Ashoka's son, who carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka." and belongs to the Nobility cluster — names with regal heritage and dignified bearing.
Beyond its Hindu heritage, Mahendra is also used in Buddhist traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among Kannada, Indian, American, British families, Mahendra carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What's Mahendra's birth star?
In Vedic tradition, a baby's name is matched to their nakshatra (birth star) and rashi (moon sign) — usually through its first syllable. Mahendra opens with “Ma.” But whether that's auspicious depends on your baby's exact date, time, and place of birth.
NameRoot works it out for you. Enter your baby's birth details and see exactly which nakshatra and rashi Mahendra aligns with — and how strongly it scores.
See Mahendra's birth-star reading →What does Mahendra's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Mahendra resonates in either tradition.
Mahendra's destiny number is 1 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Mahendra's full reading →
Does Mahendra go with your family's names?
Mahendra breaks into 8 sounds: /M-AA-HH-EH-N-D-R-AA/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Mahendra sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Mahendra beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Mahendra — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Mahendra
If Mahendra resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Hindu boy names, common in Kannada families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Hindu boy names from the Nobility cluster
Names that sound similar
Hindu boy names that open with the same syllables as Mahendra
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Mahendra — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Mahendra
What does the name Mahendra mean?
Mahendra means "Great Indra, the great king — Mahendra (Kannada ಮಹೇಂದ್ರ, from maha 'great' + indra 'king of the devas') names Indra in his fullest majesty and serves also as an epithet of Shiva. It was borne by Mahendra of the Maurya line, Ashoka's son, who carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka.." It is a boy name of Kannada origin, traditionally used in Hindu families.
Is Mahendra a boy or girl name?
Mahendra is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Mahendra?
Mahendra is of Kannada origin, used in Hindu, Buddhist traditions, commonly among Kannada, Indian, American families.
Is Mahendra a Hindu name?
Yes. Mahendra is a boy name traditionally used in Hindu families, of Kannada origin. It also appears in Buddhist tradition.
What does Mahendra mean in Kannada?
Mahendra originates from Kannada, where it means "Great Indra, the great king — Mahendra (Kannada ಮಹೇಂದ್ರ, from maha 'great' + indra 'king of the devas') names Indra in his fullest majesty and serves also as an epithet of Shiva. It was borne by Mahendra of the Maurya line, Ashoka's son, who carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka.."
What are common nicknames for Mahendra?
Common short forms of Mahendra include Mahi.
What is the numerology of Mahendra?
Mahendra has a Pythagorean destiny number of 1 — leadership and pioneering spirit.
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