How to say it
BO · dhi
ˈboʊ.di
Masculine
Bodhi
Awakening, enlightenment
What it means
Sanskrit and Pali for 'awakening' or 'enlightenment,' the state the Buddha reached under the Bodhi tree.
Bodhi is a Sanskrit and Pali word, not originally a personal name: it means 'awakening' or 'enlightenment,' the realization the Buddha attained beneath the Bodhi tree. The West adopted it as a given name with a laid-back, spiritual charge, helped along by the surfer-philosopher Bodhi in the 1991 film Point Break. It climbed fast in the 2010s and 2020s among parents drawn to short, calm, meaning-forward names. Bode and Bodie are the casual spellings.
How to spell Bodhi
The standard spelling is Bodhi. Common variants include Bodie, Bode, Bodhin, but Bodhi is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #265 in 2025, currently #265 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Patrick Swayze's surfer-mystic Bodhi in Point Break (1991) is the name's pop anchor.
- Spelling
Bodhi keeps the Buddhist spelling; Bode and Bodie read more like nicknames.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Bodhi the surfer-philosopher antagonist of Point Break (1991)
- Bodhi Tree the fig tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment
Spelling variants
- Bodie
- Bode
- Bodhin
Names with the same feeling
See Bodhi from another angle
By meaning
Common questions
- What does the name Bodhi mean?
- Sanskrit and Pali for 'awakening' or 'enlightenment,' the state the Buddha reached under the Bodhi tree.
- What does Bodhi mean in Sanskrit?
- In Sanskrit, Bodhi means "Awakening, enlightenment." Bodhi is a Sanskrit and Pali word, not originally a personal name: it means 'awakening' or 'enlightenment,' the realization the Buddha attained beneath the Bodhi tree. The West adopted it as a given name with a laid-back, spiritual charge, helped along by the surfer-philosopher Bodhi in the 1991 film Point Break. It climbed fast in the 2010s and 2020s among parents drawn to short, calm, meaning-forward names. Bode and Bodie are the casual spellings.
- How do you pronounce Bodhi?
- Bodhi is pronounced ˈboʊ.di. Say it as BO-dhi, with the stress on the "bo" syllable.
- How do you spell Bodhi?
- The standard spelling is Bodhi. Common spelling variants include Bodie, Bode, Bodhin.
- Is Bodhi a boy or girl name?
- Bodhi is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Bodhi?
- Bodhi ranked #265 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.