The baby name Menaka is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced me-NAH-kah (English); IPA: /meɪˈnɑːkə/ or /məˈnɑːkə/.
The baby name Menaka is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced me-NAH-kah (English); IPA: /meɪˈnɑːkə/ or /məˈnɑːkə/.
Menaka is Indian, Sanskrit in Origin.
Menaka is from Sanskrit Menakā (मेनका), best known as the name of a celebrated apsara in Hindu mythology. Through this association it is commonly understood as "celestial maiden" or "heavenly nymph," carrying connotations of beauty, grace, and artistic allure. The name is found across Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages, with phonetic spellings reflecting local scripts.
Attested in the Mahābhārata and in Kālidāsa’s Abhijñānaśākuntalam, Menaka is sent to distract the sage Viśvāmitra and becomes the mother of Śakuntalā, anchoring the name in classical literature and later folklore. Usage today is widespread in India and the diaspora and also occurs in Sri Lanka, where Menaka can be masculine. Variants and spellings include Maneka, Meneka, Menka, and the transliterated Mēṉakā in Tamil/Malayalam; Mena or Menā is a related but distinct mythological name. Diminutives such as Menu or Meni appear in informal use.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QA | 0 | #106 | 1 | 7,011 | |
| KW | 0 | #121 | 1 | 5,216 | |
| OM | 0 | #121 | 1 | 6,215 | |
| CY | Girls | 0 | #124 | 2 | 3,755 |
| BW | Girls | 0 | #151 | 1 | 4,216 |
| AE | 0 | #184 | 4 | 10,220 | |
| JP | Girls | 0 | #246 | 6 | 6,592 |
| PT | 0 | #250 | 1 | 4,161 | |
| JP | Boys | 0 | #299 | 5 | 7,909 |
| QA | Girls | 0 | #305 | 12 | 15,378 |
| JO | Girls | 0 | #334 | 6 | 7,570 |
| MY | 0 | #352 | 3 | 12,352 | |
| HK | 0 | #357 | 1 | 8,483 | |
| OM | Girls | 0 | #380 | 17 | 15,987 |
| JO | Boys | 0 | #388 | 2 | 7,057 |
| BD | Girls | 0 | #406 | 1 | 8,413 |
| KW | Girls | 0 | #457 | 59 | 19,177 |
| PT | Girls | 0 | #470 | 2 | 7,952 |
| AE | Girls | 0 | #514 | 40 | 20,968 |
| PS | Girls | 0 | #542 | 6 | 10,981 |
| BH | 0 | #544 | 10 | 17,937 | |
| IN | Girls | 0 | #545 | 87 | 13,121 |
| PS | Boys | 0 | #560 | 2 | 10,655 |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #561 | 26 | 18,916 |
| IL | Boys | 0 | #624 | 2 | 10,983 |
| IL | Girls | 0 | #645 | 1 | 11,648 |
| LB | 0 | #687 | 4 | 13,263 | |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #690 | 18 | 18,093 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #736 | 4 | 17,960 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #747 | 23 | 18,755 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #909 | 27 | 25,931 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #917 | 2 | 17,948 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #949 | 46 | 24,821 |
| IN | Boys | 0 | #1,039 | 1 | 16,750 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,081 | 12 | 22,615 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,181 | 2 | 25,439 |
| IT | Girls | 0 | #1,406 | 41 | 9,415 |
| IT | Boys | 0 | #1,452 | 20 | 10,046 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,603 | 12 | 28,008 |
Menaka is popular in 20 countries — most recent births per country:
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