Chandrasekhara

Chandrasekhara is a masculine given name of Indian origin. It is derived from Sanskrit elements chandra meaning “moon” and śekhara meaning “crest” or “crown,” so the name literally conveys the idea of a “moon-crowned” person or one who bears the moon on the head. The name has multiple transliterations, including Chandrasekhar, Chandrashekhar, Chandrasekhara, and Chandrasekharan, reflecting regional pronunciations and scripts.

In Hindu tradition, Chandrasekhara is also an epithet of the god Shiva, describing the form who wears the moon on his head. Because of this religious association, the name appears in devotional literature and temple inscriptions and is widely used among Hindu communities.

As a given name, Chandrasekhara has Variants used as first names and, less commonly, as surnames. In diaspora communities, shortened forms such as Chandrasekhar are also common. The name is found across Indian languages and has been borne by several notable individuals in science, literature, and public life.

Notable figures with related forms of the name include Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman), the Indian physicist known for the Raman effect, commonly referred to as C. V. Raman. The surname form Chandrasekhar is also familiar in Indian-origin scholarship and public life, with similar roots in the name’s meaning and heritage. Overall, Chandrasekhara remains a culturally significant name tied to moon symbolism and Hindu religious tradition.