Family name origins & meanings
- Indian (northern and southern states) : Hindu name from Sanskrit nārāyạna, an epithet of the god Vishnu. In the northern states, it appears to have evolved into a family name from the final element of compound personal names such as Ramnarayan (from Ram, name of an incarnation of Vishnu, + Narayan). In South India, it is used only as a male given name, but has become a family name among South Indians in the U.S. It is a variant of Narayanan among Tamil and Malayalam speakers who have migrated from their home state.