Browse Names - Behind the Name

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Avalokiteshvara m Buddhism
Means "the lord who looks down" in Sanskrit, derived from अवलोक् (avalok) meaning "to look down" and ईश्वर (ishvara) meaning "lord, god". The original form of the name may have been अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), with the final element being स्वर (svara) meaning "sound, tone" (as evidenced by the Chinese form Guanyin). In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with compassion.

Ayane f Japanese
From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour", 綾 (aya) meaning "design" or 絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with 音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Guanyin f Buddhism
Means "one who observes sounds", from Chinese 观 (guān) meaning "to observe, to see" and 音 (yīn) meaning "sound, tone", referring to prayers. This is the Chinese name of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion (who is regarded as female in China). It originated as a calque of Sanskrit अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), an earlier form of Avalokiteshvara's name.

Kannon 1 f Buddhism
Japanese form of Guanyin.

Kanon f Japanese
From Japanese 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" and 音 (non) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.

Kotone f Japanese
From Japanese 琴 (koto), which refers to a type of musical instrument similar to a harp, combined with 音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Shion f & m Japanese
From Japanese 紫苑 (shion) meaning "aster". It can also come from 詩 (shi) meaning "poem" and 音 (on) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Thanh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 青 (thanh) meaning "blue, green, young" or 聲 (thanh) meaning "sound, voice, tone".

Yin f & m Chinese
From Chinese 银 (yín) meaning "silver, money", 音 (yīn) meaning "sound, tone" or 荫 (yīn) meaning "shade, shelter, protect", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.

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