From Sanskrit, meaning 'offering,' 'tribute,' or a gesture of reverence with joined hands.
Anjali is a Sanskrit name meaning "divine offering" or "gift," derived from the word "añjali" — the cupped, folded hands held together in a gesture of reverence, prayer, or offering. This gesture, the añjali mudra, is one of the most universal in South Asian culture, recognized instantly as a sign of greeting, respect, and spiritual surrender. The name thus carries a kinetic poetry: to be named Anjali is to embody the act of giving with open hands.
The name has deep roots in classical Indian literature and is found across Sanskrit poetry and texts where it describes both the physical gesture and the devotional spirit behind it. It became popular throughout South Asia — in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and among diaspora communities globally — during the twentieth century, particularly in the mid-century period when Sanskrit-rooted names enjoyed a revival alongside Indian independence and cultural renaissance movements. In Bollywood cinema, the name Anjali became widely recognizable through beloved films of the 1990s, cementing its place in popular consciousness with a warmth and familiarity that transcended regional boundaries.
Anjali is a name that has traveled gracefully into the English-speaking world, appreciated for its melodic three-syllable rhythm and its gentle spiritual resonance. It is sometimes spelled Anjalie or Anjalee in diaspora communities adapting the name to Western phonetic conventions. The name sits at a beautiful intersection — ancient in meaning yet thoroughly modern in feel, carrying the weight of thousands of years of devotional culture while remaining accessible and soft on the tongue. Parents today choose it for its elegance, its meaning, and the sense that it bestows something sacred upon the child who carries it.