The baby name Bhairav is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /bʱaɪ.rʌv/ — approx. "BHAI-rav" (bh as aspirated b, 'ai' as in 'eye').
The baby name Bhairav is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /bʱaɪ.rʌv/ — approx. "BHAI-rav" (bh as aspirated b, 'ai' as in 'eye').
Bhairav is Hindu, Sanskrit in Origin.
Bhairav is a Sanskrit masculine name from Bhairava, an epithet of Shiva meaning “formidable, awe-inspiring,” derived from the root bhī, “to fear,” and thus often glossed as “the terrifying one” or “remover of fear.” It denotes the guardian-deity Kāl Bhairav, associated with time, protection, and righteous destruction. The name appears across North India and the Himalayan region; related forms include Bhairava, Bhairon/Bheron (Rajasthani), Bhairab (Bengali/Nepali), Bheru or Bheruji (folk), Bhairavnath, Kaal Bhairav(a), and the Tamil/Sri Lankan Vairavar or Vairavan. The feminine counterpart is Bhairavi.
Usage traces to medieval Śaiva and Tantric traditions, where Bhairava figures as a protector of cities such as Varanasi and Ujjain. The name also permeates culture through Hindustani classical music’s dawn raga Bhairav (with the allied raga Bhairavi). As a given name, it conveys fearlessness, vigilance, and protective strength.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH | 0 | #583 | 5 | 17,937 | |
| IN | Girls | 0 | #654 | 1 | 13,121 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #735 | 9 | 18,093 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #737 | 3 | 17,960 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #805 | 2 | 18,755 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #917 | 2 | 17,948 |
| IN | Boys | 0 | #937 | 65 | 16,750 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,138 | 6 | 22,615 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,180 | 3 | 25,439 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,271 | 2 | 25,619 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,604 | 11 | 28,008 |
Bhairav is popular in 10 countries — most recent births per country:
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