Kashyapi

Kashyapi (काश्यपी, IAST: kāśyapī) is a Sanskrit-origin Hindu girl-name meaning “Daughter of Sage Kashyapa; the earth itself”. A Vedic epithet for the earth, the daughter of the primordial sage Kashyapa.

Meaning, etymology & significance

Kashyapi (काश्यपी) is built from Kashyapa — the great Vedic sage who is the legendary ancestor of all the gods (devas), titans (asuras), humans and animals through his many wives — with the feminine patronymic ending. The literal sense is "daughter of Kashyapa" — and the most ancient Sanskrit usage names the earth itself with this name, since the earth is said to be Kashyapa's daughter.

In Hindu cosmology the earth is variously called Bhudevi (the earth goddess), Vasudha (the holder of treasures) or Kashyapi (daughter of the primordial sage). Each name emphasises a different aspect; Kashyapi specifically marks the earth's descent from the great rishi-line.

To name a daughter Kashyapi is therefore to give her the most ancient Vedic name of the earth itself — a name carrying immense scriptural weight. It is rare in modern naming, which makes it a distinctive choice for families with a Vedic-scholarly orientation.

Pronunciation: kaash-ya-PEE. Pair with classical Sanskrit-Brahmanic surnames (Sharma, Trivedi, Joshi, Iyer, Pandit) for full effect.

Astrology — nakshatra & rashi

By the standard Vedic correspondence between the first syllable of a name and the lunar mansion (nakshatra), Kashyapi aligns with the Mrigashira nakshatra, under the Mithuna rashi (Moon sign).

Similar names

Hindu names with a similar feel or meaning include: Bhumi, Kanaka, Aaradhya. Each is a distinct choice with its own etymology — explore them on their own pages for fuller context.