Janak as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Janak

What is the meaning of the name Janak ?

The baby name Janak is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdʒənək/ (JUH-nuk) or /ˈdʒɑːnək/ (JAH-nuk).

Janak is Indian, Sanskrit in Origin.

Janak is a masculine given name from Sanskrit Janaka (जनक), from the verbal root jan- “to be born, to generate.” It means “begetter” or “progenitor,” hence “father” or “creator.” Related Sanskrit forms include janma (“birth”) and jana (“people”), underscoring themes of origin.

As a royal title, Janaka was borne by the kings of Videha (Mithila). The best‑known is King Janaka (Siradhvaja), father of Sita in the Ramayana and a philosopher‑king in the Upanishads who debates Yajnavalkya, modeling enlightened detachment. The name is used across Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Maithili, and Nepali; Janaka remains standard in Sanskrit and appears in Sinhalese. Feminine counterparts include Janaki/Janki, Sita’s epithet meaning “daughter of Janaka.” Variants: Janak, Janaka. The name endures in South Asia, notably around Mithila and Nepal (e.g., Janakpur).