Kriya
Kriya (क्रिया) is a Sanskrit-origin Hindu girl-name meaning “Action, sacred ritual”. Find pronunciation, origin, deity association, popularity and similar Hindu baby names.
Kriya (क्रिया) is a Sanskrit-origin Hindu girl-name meaning “Action, sacred ritual”. Find pronunciation, origin, deity association, popularity and similar Hindu baby names.
Kriya (क्रिया, IAST: kriyā) is a Sanskrit-origin Hindu girl-name meaning “Action, sacred ritual”. The Sanskrit term for any spiritual practice or ritual action; one of the three principal yogic paths.
Meaning, etymology & significance
Kriya (क्रिया) is the Sanskrit word for action — but action of a particular kind. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, kriyā-yoga is named as the practical limb of yoga: tapaḥ-svādhyāyeśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ — austerity, study, and surrender to the Lord constitute kriya-yoga.
In Tantra and Hatha Yoga, kriya is the term for the cleansing and energising practices that prepare body and mind for meditation — neti, dhauti, basti, kapalbhati and the rest. In the modern era Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship has popularised Kriya Yoga across the world.
For a baby girl, Kriya is a name of luminous spiritual seriousness — naming her after the very practice that leads to liberation. The name is uncommon but increasingly appreciated by yoga-aware modern Indian families.
Pronunciation: KRI-ya. Pair with surnames from yogic or contemplative traditions for the fullest effect.
Astrology — nakshatra & rashi
By the standard Vedic correspondence between the first syllable of a name and the lunar mansion (nakshatra), Kriya aligns with the Mrigashira nakshatra, under the Mithuna rashi (Moon sign).
Similar names
Hindu names with a similar feel or meaning include: Kriti, Karma, Kriyansh. Each is a distinct choice with its own etymology — explore them on their own pages for fuller context.