Saanvi

Saanvi is a Hindu name (सान्वी) that was somewhat difficult to research. By most accounts we keep coming back to the belief that Saanvi is a synonym of Lakshmi, the very beautiful and graceful Hindu goddess who presides over wealth and prosperity both on a material and a spiritual plane. This is probably the general belief in India where Saanvi is a top ranked baby girl’s name. Still we’ve had a very difficult time verifying this information as truth. What we’ve come to understand (but cannot authenticate) is that Saanvi is made up of the elements “sā” which is another form of Lakṣmī (Lakshmi) and “anvi” meaning “follow” – basically an invented compound name with no real existence in the Sanskrit language. It was created to mean “follower of, seeker of, or guided by the goddess Lakshmi”. Lakshmi is one of the supreme mother goddesses in Hindu tradition and representative of “good luck” to most Indians (and worshipped almost daily). The goddess is depicted as a beautiful woman of grace, elegance and idealized beauty sitting or standing on a blooming lotus. In two of her four hands she holds two more sacred lotuses as gold coins spill forth from another hand. It’s a small wonder why Indians would select such a lovely name for their baby daughters.