Aditya

What does Aditya mean?

Aditya means ‘belonging to Aditi’ or ‘son of Aditi’ in Sanskrit, and is also a name for Surya, the sun god. Wiktionary records both connections. The plural Adityas refers to a group of deities described as Aditi's sons, while the singular has a particular solar association. These are related meanings, rather than competing explanations. Aditya is also recorded as a Hindi given name, carrying both the family relationship within Vedic mythology and the image of the sun.

Source: Wiktionary, आदित्य. How we use sources.

Spelling and pronunciation

आदित्य is approximately aa-dit-ya, in three syllables. Aaditya makes the long opening vowel explicit, and Adithya is another spelling used in South Indian contexts. The t joins directly to y at the end; avoid adding an extra i between them. The d and t are made near the teeth.

Also spelled Adithya, Aaditya.

Aditya in tradition and story

The Vedic Adityas include Mitra, Varuna and Aryaman. In later Hindu tradition, the name Aditya is especially associated with Surya, and twelve Adityas are connected with the sun across the twelve months of the year.