Shankar

Family name origins & meanings

• Indian (southern states) : Hindu name from Sanskrit šankara ‘one who brings about happiness or prosperity’ (from Sanskrit šam ‘happiness’, ‘prosperity’ + -kara ‘causing’). This is an epithet of the god Shiva. It is a variant of Sankaran among people who have migrated from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In India it is found only as a male personal name, but has come to be used as a family name in the U.S. among South Indians.