Every name of Ganesha is a Sanskrit compound that describes one quality, one story, or one aspect of the divine. Reciting the Ashtottara Shatanamavali "" the garland of 108 names "" is one of the oldest and most beloved acts of Ganesha worship.
Here all 108 names are listed with their Sanskrit roots and English meanings "" so each name becomes a meditation, not just a sound.
| # | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gaṇeśa | Lord of all beings / Lord of the Gaṇas |
| 2 | Gaṇapati | Master of all groups |
| 3 | Vinayaka | The supreme leader, one without a leader above |
| 4 | Vighneśvara | Lord of obstacles "" remover and placer |
| 5 | Ekadanta | He of the single tusk |
| 6 | Vakratuṇá¸a | He of the curved trunk |
| 7 | Lambodara | He of the large belly |
| 8 | GajakÄnana | He with the face of an elephant |
| 9 | GajanÄna | Elephant-faced |
| 10 | MahÄgaṇapati | The great lord of all beings |
| 11 | Haridra | Golden-yellow, turmeric-coloured |
| 12 | Heramba | Protector of the weak, boastful |
| 13 | Skandapūrvaja | Elder brother of Skanda (Kartikeya) |
| 14 | PÄÅ›apÄṇi | One who holds the noose in his hand |
| 15 | GaṇÄdhÄ«pa | Chief of the Gaṇas |
| 16 | UmÄputra | Son of Uma (Parvati) |
| 17 | AgrajÄ | The first-born |
| 18 | Śaktisaṃyuta | One united with Shakti (power) |
| 19 | VighnakartÄ | The one who creates obstacles |
| 20 | Vighnahan | The one who destroys obstacles |
| 21 | ViÅ›vanÄtha | Lord of the universe |
| 22 | DvaimÄtura | He who has two mothers |
| 23 | Munistuta | Praised by sages |
| 24 | Bhaktavighnavinaśana | Destroyer of devotees' obstacles |
| 25 | Kṛtī | He who acts, the accomplished one |
| 26 | NÄmasiddhi | Perfection in name |
| 27 | MahÄbala | Of immense strength |
| 28 | ÅšvetÄ | White, pure |
| 29 | VidyÄvÄridhi | Ocean of knowledge |
| 30 | Viśvarakṣaka | Protector of the universe |
| 31 | Raktavarṇa | Red-coloured |
| 32 | Tīkṣṇadanta | Sharp-tusked |
| 33 | Sarvasiddhiprada | Giver of all perfections |
| 34 | Åšarva | The archer, auspicious |
| 35 | VighnÄntaka | Ender of all obstacles |
| 36 | Acintya | Beyond thought, inconceivable |
| 37 | Sauṃya | Gentle, calm, moon-like |
| 38 | Buddhipriya | Beloved of intellect, lover of wisdom |
| 39 | Buddhivarddhana | Increaser of intellect |
| 40 | Siddhiprada | Bestower of success and attainment |
| 41 | BuddhidÄtÄ | Giver of intelligence |
| 42 | SurÄgrajÄ | Elder among the gods |
| 43 | MahÄvaktra | Of the great mouth / face |
| 44 | SÅ«ryaghaá¹a | Vessel of the Sun |
| 45 | VighnapramukhÄ | Chief over all obstacles |
| 46 | Śriṇī | Row, series, auspicious |
| 47 | SarvÄtmÄ | Soul of all, the universal self |
| 48 | VirÅ«pÄká¹£a | Of varied or formless eyes |
| 49 | Caturbhuja | Four-armed |
| 50 | DvijahÄ | Conqueror of the twice-born |
| 51 | NityÄ | Eternal, permanent |
| 52 | SkandÄgraja | Elder to Skanda |
| 53 | Varadamurti | Form of the boon-giver |
| 54 | Maheśvara | Great lord |
| 55 | GuhÄgraja | Elder brother of Guha (Kartikeya) |
| 56 | Bhavagraja | Elder in existence |
| 57 | Kuñjaraśiras | Elephant-headed |
| 58 | Varada | Boon-giver |
| 59 | ÅšÄÅ›vata | Everlasting, perpetual |
| 60 | Ká¹›ttivÄsÄ | Dressed in animal skin |
| 61 | Uraskambha | Broad-chested pillar |
| 62 | KÄmadÄ | Fulfiller of desires |
| 63 | MÄyÄpati | Lord of illusion |
| 64 | MahÄmati | Of great intellect |
| 65 | BuddhimÄn | Possessing wisdom |
| 66 | YogÄdhipa | Lord of yoga |
| 67 | PitÄmaha | Grandfather |
| 68 | Amita | Immeasurable, infinite |
| 69 | Svayambhū | Self-manifested, self-existent |
| 70 | Devadevendra | Lord of the lords of gods |
| 71 | Kapilavarṇa | Tawny/reddish brown in colour |
| 72 | Anuttama | Unsurpassed, the best |
| 73 | Bhūpati | Lord of the earth |
| 74 | Åšrikanthi | Of auspicious throat |
| 75 | VibhudÄgrajÄ | Elder among the wise |
| 76 | Ä€khuvÄhana | One whose vehicle is a mouse |
| 77 | Pradyumna | Extremely powerful |
| 78 | Kuberavara | Boon of Kubera (lord of wealth) |
| 79 | Śrī | Auspiciousness, beauty, abundance |
| 80 | PrathamÄdhipa | Lord of the first place |
| 81 | MahÄgajavaktra | Of the great elephant face |
| 82 | BÄlaganÄdhipa | Young lord of all Gaṇas |
| 83 | NÄyaka | Leader, guide |
| 84 | Gaṇanamaskṛta | Bowed to by all Gaṇas |
| 85 | EkÄká¹£ara | Of a single syllable (OM / GUNG) |
| 86 | Ká¹›tÄ | The accomplished / made |
| 87 | DvaimÄtura | Of two mothers |
| 88 | Munivandita | Saluted by sages |
| 89 | Bhaktīnagrahi | Granter of grace to devotees |
| 90 | SurÄri | Enemy of demons |
| 91 | KÄntimÄn | Radiant, lustrous |
| 92 | Pūrṇa | Complete, full |
| 93 | MahÄvighna | Great obstacle "" and its master |
| 94 | Mṛtyuñjaya | Victor over death |
| 95 | Kavīśvara | Lord of poets |
| 96 | SarvagÄ | All-pervading, going everywhere |
| 97 | Sarvabhaká¹£ya | Eater of all (infinite appetite) |
| 98 | Priyaka | The beloved one |
| 99 | Rudrapriya | Beloved of Rudra (Shiva) |
| 100 | Ganottama | Best among all Gaṇas |
| 101 | ApÄra | Without limit, boundless |
| 102 | Praceta | Wise, knowing all |
| 103 | Bhūsura | God on earth (Brahmin) |
| 104 | Siddhartha | One whose purpose is accomplished |
| 105 | Siddha | Perfected, accomplished |
| 106 | MuktidÄyaka | Giver of liberation |
| 107 | KumaraÅ›reá¹£á¹ha | Best among the young |
| 108 | MahÄ"Å›varasuta | Son of Maheshvara (Shiva) |
This is Ganesha's most invoked name. Vighneshvara means both "the one who creates obstacles" and "the one who removes them" "" because Ganesha governs both. Nothing begins without his permission. That is why every puja, every business, every journey, every wedding, every text begins with a prayer to Ganesha.
Ganesha broke off his own tusk to write the Mahabharata as Vyasa dictated it. The condition was that Vyasa must dictate without pause, and Ganesha must write without stopping. When his pen broke, he snapped off his tusk and kept writing. Ekadanta teaches: sacrifice is the price of creating something that lasts.
Ganesha's belly contains the entire universe. Every good thing, every blessing, every secret of the cosmos is held within. His large belly is not a flaw "" it is a symbol of abundance, of containment, of holding all things without overflow. The rat he rides represents the ego "" tiny, kept beneath the divine.
These two names appear together in the list intentionally. Ganesha both creates and removes obstacles "" because obstacles are not problems, they are lessons. What appears to block you is often Ganesha redirecting you. The obstacle is the teaching.
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Every Ganesha name is a Sanskrit lesson. Learn the roots, words, and grammar free on VedaLingo.