Anjana is a Sanskrit name meaning "ointment" or "collyrium" and is also known from Hindu mythology.
Anjana flows from Sanskrit roots, where the word anjana refers to the black kohl used to line the eyes — a substance associated with beauty, clarity of vision, and the sacred. The name carries the sense of one who is graceful and luminous, with an inner radiance that illuminates those around her. Linguistically, it belongs to the rich tradition of Sanskrit names drawn from everyday sacred objects elevated into poetry.
In Hindu mythology, Anjana holds a place of remarkable honor as the mother of Hanuman, the divine monkey deity and devoted companion of Lord Rama. She was originally an apsara — a celestial nymph — who was cursed to live as a monkey until she gave birth to a son touched by the divine. Her devotion and piety attracted the blessing of the wind god Vayu, and the child born of that union became one of the most beloved figures in the Hindu pantheon.
Anjana is thus revered not merely as a mother but as a vessel of grace, her love literally shaping a god. In modern usage, Anjana remains popular across India, particularly in South Asian communities worldwide, where its mythological resonance lends it a timeless dignity. In contemporary naming culture, it has also been adopted more broadly as parents are drawn to its melodic quality — the soft opening vowel, the gentle cadence — and its meaning rooted in beauty and perception. It is a name that has never needed reinvention because its origins are already luminous.