ಹೆಸರು
hesaru/hesɐɾu/
The Kannada word for name is ಹೆಸರು (hesaru).
ಹೆಸರು is the everyday word for the name of a person, place or thing.
Meaning: word or phrase indicating a particular person, place, class or thing (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced hesaru, written in IPA as /hesɐɾu/. The r is a light tap.
When do people say it?
In formal situations people often add sir after a man's name, as in Venkatesh sir for a professor. Among friends, Macha is a casual way to address a buddy.
Did you know?
- The Kannada word ಹೆಸರು descends from an ancient Proto-Dravidian root *pic-ar, linking it to languages spoken as far away as Balochistan in the word pin from the Brahui language.
- In many traditional Kannada households, the ಹೆಸರು of a child is decided by a priest who calculates an auspicious syllable based on the exact time and planetary position of the birth.
- If you are looking for a 'name' in a formal document, you might encounter the Sanskritized version nāma, which feels much more 'official' than the colloquial hesaru.
Examples in context
- ಅವನ ಹೆಸರು ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ.I don't know his name.This sentence uses ಹೆಸರು to say you don't know his name.Tatoeba #12481417 by Lumi, translation #260758 by CK
- ಈ ನಾಯಿಯ ಹೆಸರು ಲಕ್ಕಿ.ī nāyiya hesaru lakkī.This dog's name is Lucky.
Example conversation
Divya and Abhishek are meeting for the first time at a party.
- ದಿವ್ಯಾ Divyaನಮಸ್ಕಾರ, ನಿಮ್ಮ ಹೆಸರು ಏನು?namaskāra, nimma hesaru ēnu?Hello, what is your name?
- ಅಭಿಷೇಕ್ Abhishekನನ್ನ ಹೆಸರು ಅಭಿಷೇಕ್.nanna hesaru abhiṣēk.My name is Abhishek.
- ದಿವ್ಯಾ Divyaನಿಮ್ಮ ಹೆಸರು ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ.nimma hesaru tumbā chennāgide.Your name is very nice.
- ಅಭಿಷೇಕ್ Abhishekಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು, ದಿವ್ಯಾ ಅವರೇ.dhanyavādagaḷu, divyā avarē.Thank you, Divya.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “name” translations and entries ಹೆಸರು, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ಹೆಸರು, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
