Nandini
/nənˈdiːni/noun
A feminine given name of Sanskrit origin, also used in Hindu tradition for a divine or wish-granting cow.
Did you know?In Hindu mythology, Nandini is a celestial cow associated with the sage Vasiṣṭha and is described in some traditions as the daughter of the wish-granting cow Surabhi.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-Iranian
PII
*nand-
“To rejoice or be joyful; the reconstructed verbal root behind later Sanskrit forms.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nand-
“To rejoice, delight, or bring happiness.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nandin
“Joyful, pleasing, or delighting; a masculine adjective and noun formed from the root nand-.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
nandinī
“The feminine form: joyful, pleasing, or she who brings delight; also a feminine personal name.”
Epic and Purāṇic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Nandinī
“A sacred celestial cow, especially in stories connected with the sage Vasiṣṭha and divine abundance.”
Modern English
English
Nandini
“A feminine given name used internationally, retaining its Sanskrit associations with joy and the sacred cow.”