Entry № 1154 · Marathi origin

Janabai Janabai — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ JAH-nah-bai /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Marathi
Meaning
"Marathi slave-saint poet"
Syllables
3
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Medieval (Marathi)

A name that means "marathi slave-saint poet".

Janabai (c. 1258-c. 1350) was the **Marathi Varkari poet-saint** — born a low-caste Shudra, sold as a household servant to the family of Saint Namdev in Pandharpur. **She wrote over 300 surviving abhangs (devotional songs) to Vithoba** — composing while grinding grain and sweeping floors. **Her poems are remarkable for their intimacy with the divine**, often portraying Vithoba as helping her with domestic chores.

Featured in Mahipati's *Bhaktavijaya* (1762).

Marathi slave-saint poet. Vithoba helped her grind grain in her songs.

The name in its native script.

जनाबाई
Transliteration
Janābāī
Pronunciation
/ ˈdʒɑː.nə.baɪ /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Janabai stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 0 in 0
Babies named Janabai · 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 · —

Janabais before her.

Real people
Janabai
Marathi Varkari poet.
c. 1258 – c. 1350
In fiction
Janabai
Marathi abhangs.

Names connected to Janabai.

The number behind Janabai.

7

The Seeker

Janabai reduces to seven — the number of Varkari slave-saint.

Why families chose this name.

"Marathi slave-saint. Seven letters. Janabai."
Priya · Mother of one · Pandharpur