Varghese

Varghese is a masculine given name widely used among Malayali Christians in Kerala, India. It is the Malayalam form of the name George and ultimately derives from the Greek Georgios, meaning “farmer” or “earth-worker.” The form Varghese developed through Malayalam phonology and local Christian naming traditions influenced by the veneration of Saint George.

In Kerala, Varghese is commonly given at baptism and used in daily life as a first name. The name has spread to the Malayali diaspora and to communities with Malayalam-speaking members, where it may be retained as a given name or adapted to local conventions, including the use of George as an anglicized form.

Variants of the name include Varghese, Varghis, and Varghy, with George often serving as an international equivalent. The name is predominantly associated with Kerala’s Saint Thomas Christian community, though it is also found among other Indian communities through cultural transmission.