Krishna is a Sanskrit name meaning "dark" or "black," best known from the Hindu deity Krishna.
Krishna derives from the Sanskrit word "kṛṣṇa," meaning "black," "dark," or "dark blue" — a reference to the divine complexion traditionally attributed to the deity in Hindu iconography. The name carries one of the most ancient and layered meanings in the Indo-European naming tradition, with roots stretching back over three millennia into Vedic literature. It is intimately connected to the concept of attraction, as a secondary interpretation links it to the root meaning "to draw toward" or "the one who attracts all."
In Hindu tradition, Krishna is among the most beloved of all deities — the eighth avatar of Vishnu, whose life and teachings form the cornerstone of the Bhagavad Gita. His stories range from the mischievous butter-stealing child of Vrindavan to the wise charioteer who counseled Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana are rich with his exploits, and his relationship with the gopi Radha has inspired centuries of devotional poetry, painting, and music across South Asia.
Figures like the poet-saint Mirabai dedicated their entire lives and literary output to expressing devotion to Krishna. Beyond India, the name gained global recognition through the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded in the 1960s, which brought the chant "Hare Krishna" into Western consciousness. Today the name is given to children across the Indian diaspora worldwide, carrying with it connotations of divine playfulness, wisdom, and grace.
It is used for both boys and girls in some regional traditions, though it remains predominantly masculine. Its cultural weight is enormous — to name a child Krishna is to invoke one of humanity's most enduring narratives of love, duty, and spiritual liberation.