Neelakantan

Neelakantan is a name of Indian origin used as a given name and, less commonly, as a surname in parts of South Asia, particularly among Tamil and Malayali communities. It is a variant of Nilakantha, derived from Sanskrit nīla meaning blue and kaṇṭha meaning throat. The form is associated with the Hindu deity Shiva, who is described as Nilakantha for having a blue throat after he drank poison during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan). As a personal name, Neelakantan is commonly given to boys in Hindu families, and the spelling varies with regional conventions, including Nilakanthan, Nilakantha, Neelakantan, and Neelakantan.

Geographically, the name is most common in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and among diaspora communities with Tamil or Malayali heritage. In Tamil and Malayalam naming practices, Neelakantan may appear as a given name or as part of a longer compound name, and can function as a patronymic when family naming conventions apply.

Cultural usage: The name’s association with Shiva makes it a customary element in Hindu naming traditions. Variants are often used interchangeably in transliteration, leading to multiple spellings in English-language records.