Malathi
/M-AA-L-AA-T-HH-IH/
Jasmine flower — Malathi (Kannada ಮಾಲತಿ, from Sanskrit mālatī) is a specific variety of jasmine that blooms in the late evening, prized for its intense fragrance. Used in classical Sanskrit poetry for the beloved's hair-fragrance. The heroine of Bhavabhuti's 8th-century Sanskrit play Malati-Madhava bears this name.
See Malathi scored for your familyQuick — what every parent wants to know about Malathi:
Yes — Malathi is a Hindu girl name of Kannada origin, meaning “Jasmine flower — Malathi (Kannada ಮಾಲತಿ, from Sanskrit mālatī) is a specific variety of jasmine that blooms in the late evening, prized for its intense fragrance. Used in classical Sanskrit poetry for the beloved's hair-fragrance. The heroine of Bhavabhuti's 8th-century Sanskrit play Malati-Madhava bears this name.”.
How well does Malathi fit your family?
This page tells you what Malathi 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 Malathi's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Malathi is a girl's name of Kannada origin, traditionally used in Hindu families. The name means "Jasmine flower — Malathi (Kannada ಮಾಲತಿ, from Sanskrit mālatī) is a specific variety of jasmine that blooms in the late evening, prized for its intense fragrance. Used in classical Sanskrit poetry for the beloved's hair-fragrance. The heroine of Bhavabhuti's 8th-century Sanskrit play Malati-Madhava bears this name." and belongs to the Nature cluster — names drawn from the natural world — earth, water, sky.
Common among Kannada, Indian, American, British families, Malathi carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What's Malathi'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. Malathi 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 Malathi aligns with — and how strongly it scores.
See Malathi's birth-star reading →What does Malathi'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 Malathi resonates in either tradition.
Malathi'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 Malathi's full reading →
Does Malathi go with your family's names?
Malathi breaks into 7 sounds: /M-AA-L-AA-T-HH-IH/. 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 Malathi 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 Malathi beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Malathi — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Malathi
If Malathi 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 girl names, common in Kannada families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Hindu girl names from the Nature cluster
Names that sound similar
Hindu girl names that open with the same syllables as Malathi
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Malathi — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Malathi
What does the name Malathi mean?
Malathi means "Jasmine flower — Malathi (Kannada ಮಾಲತಿ, from Sanskrit mālatī) is a specific variety of jasmine that blooms in the late evening, prized for its intense fragrance. Used in classical Sanskrit poetry for the beloved's hair-fragrance. The heroine of Bhavabhuti's 8th-century Sanskrit play Malati-Madhava bears this name.." It is a girl name of Kannada origin, traditionally used in Hindu families.
Is Malathi a boy or girl name?
Malathi is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Malathi?
Malathi is of Kannada origin, used in Hindu tradition, commonly among Kannada, Indian, American families.
Is Malathi a Hindu name?
Yes. Malathi is a girl name traditionally used in Hindu families, of Kannada origin.
What does Malathi mean in Kannada?
Malathi originates from Kannada, where it means "Jasmine flower — Malathi (Kannada ಮಾಲತಿ, from Sanskrit mālatī) is a specific variety of jasmine that blooms in the late evening, prized for its intense fragrance. Used in classical Sanskrit poetry for the beloved's hair-fragrance. The heroine of Bhavabhuti's 8th-century Sanskrit play Malati-Madhava bears this name.."
What are common nicknames for Malathi?
Common short forms of Malathi include Mala.
What is the numerology of Malathi?
Malathi has a Pythagorean destiny number of 1 — leadership and pioneering spirit.
See how Malathi scores for your family
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