what is the real name of lord krishna
The most accepted traditional answer is that the “real” or formal name of Lord Krishna is Vasudeva Krishna (or simply Krishna , son of Vasudeva).
Quick Scoop: Short Answer
If you just want the core reply:
- At birth, he is revered as Krishna , son of Vasudeva and Devaki , so scriptures and scholars often call him Vāsudeva Krishna.
- In everyday devotion, people know him by many loving names like Kanhaiya, Gopal, Govinda, Devakinandan, Yashodanandan and more.
Was “Krishna” his real name?
In the oldest Sanskrit texts, he is introduced directly as Krishna , born to Devaki and Vasudeva in Mathura.
- He is described as the eighth avatar of Vishnu, born in Mathura’s prison to Devaki and Vasudeva.
- Because his father’s name is Vasudeva, he is formally addressed as Vāsudeva Krishna – meaning Krishna, son of Vasudeva.
So from a scriptural and theological perspective, “Krishna” itself is already his “real” name, and “Vasudeva Krishna” is his more complete or formal name.
In many modern Hindi religious articles, when people ask “Shri Krishna ka poora naam kya tha?” , the answer given is “Vasudev Krishna ”.
Other popular beliefs and devotional names
Over time, different traditions and storytellers have highlighted particular names as “first” or “real”, especially in devotional or forum-style discussions.
Some commonly mentioned viewpoints are:
- “Vasudeva (Krishna)” as original name
- Some modern explainers and reels say his original name was Vasudev and that the name Krishna later reflected his dark, bluish complexion (krishna = dark).
* This is more a popular devotional explanation than a strict textual statement.
- “Kanhaiya” as his first affectionate name
- A frequently repeated belief is that Yashoda lovingly called him “Kanhaiya” when she first saw him as a baby.
* This is presented as the first _pet name_ in many trending articles and discussions, not as a formal birth name.
- “Devakinandan” / “Yashodanandan”
- Names like Devakinandan (son of Devaki) and Yashodanandan (son of Yashoda) describe his relationships and appear constantly in kirtans and discourses.
* These are honorific epithets, not separate “legal” names.
In short, people on forums and in pravachans may debate which of these was “first”, but classical sources consistently recognize him as Krishna , son of Vasudeva.
Why does Lord Krishna have so many names?
Hindu tradition sees divine names as expressing different qualities and roles of the same Supreme Being. For Krishna, each name highlights a different aspect.
Some examples often listed:
- Govinda / Gopal – One who cares for cows and devotees, giver of joy.
- Devakinandan – Beloved son of Devaki.
- Parthasarathi – Charioteer of Arjuna in the Mahabharata.
- Jagadguru / Jagannath – Teacher and Lord of the universe.
- Madhusoodan, Kamsantak – Slayer of specific demons.
Many traditional lists speak of hundreds of Krishna’s names (often quoted as 108 or more). Devotees choose names according to mood: a childlike mood favors Kanhaiya , a royal mood favors Dwarkadheesh , a philosophical mood uses Paramatma or Parabrahman , and so on.
Forum-style view: So what should we call his “real” name?
If this were a forum thread titled “what is the real name of lord krishna” , you would typically see three main types of answers:
- Scriptural / scholarly answer
“Texts like the Mahabharata and Purāṇas present him as Krishna, son of Vasudeva, so his formal name is Vāsudeva Krishna.”
- Devotional / family-style answer
“For a mother, the real name is the name used in love – so for Yashoda, Kanhaiya is the first and real name.”
- Philosophical answer
“The Supreme doesn’t depend on one ‘real’ name. All his names – Krishna, Govinda, Hari – are equally real and divine.”
If you want one simple line you can confidently use:
Lord Krishna’s real name, in a formal sense, is “Vasudeva Krishna” (Krishna, son of Vasudeva), though he is lovingly known by countless other names like Kanhaiya, Gopal and Govinda.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.