What Does the Name Samadhi Mean?
Samadhi comes from Sanskrit sama ("equanimity" or "same") and dhi ("intellect" or "mind"), and literally points to a mind made even and unified. In yoga philosophy it names the eighth and final limb of Patanjali's ashtanga path: a state of complete absorption where the meditator and the object of meditation are no longer experienced as separate.
The Origin & History of Samadhi
The term is thousands of years old, appearing across Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain philosophical texts as the technical name for the highest meditative attainment. It entered English-language use mainly through 19th- and 20th-century translations of yoga sutras and Buddhist scripture, and more recently through the Western mindfulness and yoga-teacher-training movement, which is almost certainly why it has begun appearing as a given name at all.
Personality & Traits
As a name, Samadhi suggests calm, focus, and an unhurried inner steadiness. Parents drawn to it are usually drawn to what it means, not just how it sounds — it reads as a name chosen with intention, for a child they hope grows into groundedness.
Cultural Reach
Outside baby naming, Samadhi shows up as the name of yoga studios, meditation retreats, and wellness brands worldwide, which keeps the word in circulation even for people who've never studied Sanskrit. That familiarity through yoga culture is likely feeding its slow move into first-name use.
Popularity as a Given Name
Samadhi is still rare in the United States but growing: U.S. Social Security data recorded 194 girls named Samadhi in 2024, up from 99 the year before — nearly double in a single year, and part of a broader trend of parents choosing Sanskrit and Pali words with spiritual meaning as first names.
Nicknames & Variants
Because it's a direct Sanskrit loanword rather than a name with centuries of English spelling variants, Samadhi doesn't have an established set of alternate spellings. Sam and Sammy work as easy everyday nicknames.