Nakul, also spelt Nakula, is an Indian masculine given name of Sanskrit origin. The name is most prominently associated with one of the five Pandava brothers, the protagonists of the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. The name continues to be in common use in modern India, borne by individuals across fields such as cinema, music, sports, politics, scholarship and the performing arts.
| Name | Nakul / Nakula |
|---|---|
| Origin | Sanskrit |
| Gender | Masculine |
| Notable mythological bearer | Nakula, one of the five Pandava brothers in the Mahabharata |
| Modern usage | Given name in India |
The name derives from the figure of Nakula in the Mahabharata, who, along with his twin Sahadeva and elder brothers Yudhishthira, Bhima and Arjuna, formed the Pandava brotherhood at the heart of the epic's narrative. The continued use of the name in contemporary India reflects the enduring cultural influence of the epic.
Several notable individuals in modern India share the given name Nakul (with variant spellings such as Nakkhul and Nakuul):
As a given name, Nakul illustrates the persistence of names drawn from Indian epic literature into contemporary usage. Its bearers span a wide cross-section of Indian public life, including the film and music industries, sport, electoral politics and the academic and performing arts.