From Punjabi and Sanskritic roots meaning "without enmity" or "free from hatred."
Nirvair is a name of profound spiritual significance within the Punjabi Sikh tradition, drawn directly from the Mool Mantar — the opening passage of the Guru Granth Sahib, the eternal living scripture of Sikhism. The Mool Mantar is the foundational declaration of Sikh theology, and its second line describes the divine as Nirbhau Nirvair: without fear, without enmity. Nirvair is thus composed of nir (without, free from) and vair (enmity, hatred, vengeance), meaning "one who is free from hatred" or "one who bears no ill will toward any being."
To name a child Nirvair is a deeply intentional act — an aspiration and a prayer that the child will embody one of the central virtues of Sikh teaching. The concept of nirvair runs through the Guru Granth Sahib as a description of the divine nature and, by extension, of the enlightened soul. It is both a theological term and a human ideal: the capacity to meet the world without animosity, to practice seva (selfless service) and ardas (prayer) from a place of unconditional goodwill.
The name is most common among Sikh families in the Punjab, in the diaspora communities of the UK, Canada, and the United States. Unlike some Sikh names that have crossed over into broader secular use, Nirvair retains a strong spiritual identity — it is chosen deliberately, by families for whom the Guru Granth Sahib is a living guide. To carry the name is to carry a verse of scripture as your identity.