Entry № 0293 · Tamil origin

Avvaiyar Avvaiyar — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ AHV-vai-yar /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Tamil
Meaning
"Tamil poet-sage (revered grandmother)"
Syllables
4
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Ancient (Tamil)

A name that means "tamil poet-sage (revered grandmother)".

Avvaiyar (ஔவையார்) means "revered grandmother" in Tamil. **The name of multiple Tamil poet-sages spanning two millennia** — **Avvaiyar I (Sangam era, c. 1st-3rd c. CE)** was an itinerant Tamil bard who composed didactic verses for children that are still memorized. **Avvaiyar II (10th c.)** wrote the Aathichudi — a moral primer that begins Tamil schoolchildren's education to this day.

**One of the most revered names in Tamil literary history.**

Revered grandmother. The Tamil poet-sage whose verses Tamil children still memorize.

The name in its native script.

ஔவையார்
Transliteration
Auvaiyār
Pronunciation
/ ˈɑːv.vaɪ.jɑːr /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Avvaiyar stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 0 in 0
Babies named Avvaiyar · last year
87 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
0
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · — NOW · —

Avvaiyars before her.

Real people
Avvaiyar I
Sangam-era Tamil poet.
c. 1st-3rd c. CE
Avvaiyar II
Medieval Tamil moral poet.
10th c.
In fiction
Avvaiyar
Subject of many Tamil films.

Names connected to Avvaiyar.

The number behind Avvaiyar.

7

The Seeker

Avvaiyar reduces to seven — the number of Tamil grandmother-poet.

Why families chose this name.

"Tamil grandmother-poet. Eight letters. Avvaiyar."
Lakshmi · Mother of one · Chennai