Unni is used as a first name in

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

, India. In the

Malayalam language Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...

, it is also used as an adjective meaning an infant boy. Thus, Unnikrishnan or Unnikannan means

Lord Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is wi ...

in the infant form and Unniyesu means Yesu (Jesus in Malayalam) in the infant form. The word is also the name of a caste among Hindus in the Southern India State of Kerala.

Surname

The name Unni is also used as a surname by various sub-groups of Pushpaka Brahmins like Pushpakanunnis, Theeyattunnis and Pattarunnis (Karappuram Unni or Nattuppattar). There is a common belief that Unnis are sub-divided into Pushpakanunnis, Theeyattunnis and Pattarunnis. In fact these are entirely different communities in a common class of Kerala Brahmins and there were no inter caste marriages among these communities anciently.

History

Thiyattunnis were traditionally the performers of an ancient art form called Tīyāttu. The famous Malayalam writer

Kottarathil Sankunni Kottarathil Sankunni (born Vasudevan, 1855–1937) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. Best known as the author of Aithihyamala, an eight-volume compilation of century-old legends about Kerala, Sankunni's writings cover prose and poet ...

was a Tīyāttunni whereas famous essayist D. Padmanabhan Unni was a Pushpakanunni. Thiyattunnis have the right for Tantric Poojas and other privileges enjoyed by the Nambudiri caste.

People

Notable people with name/surname Unni include: *

Unni Mary Unni Mary is an Indian actress who works mainly in Malayalam films. She has also worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Kannada films, where she used the screen name ''Deepa''. Personal life Unnimary was born 12 March 1962 to Augustine Fernandes a ...

, Indian film actress and producer *

Unni Menon Nambalatt Narayanankutty Menon (born 2 December 1955), known better by his stage name Unni Menon is an Indian film playback singer. He has recorded over 4000 songs in many Indian languages including Malayalam, Tamil language, Tamil, Telugu lang ...

, Indian film playback singer *

Unni Mukundan Unnikrishnan Mukundan (born 22 September 1987), popularly known as Unni Mukundan, is an India, Indian actor and film producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Unni made his acting debut with the Tamil film ''Seedan'' (2011). Afte ...

(born 1987), Indian film actor * Unni R. (born Jayachandran Parameswaran in 1971), Indian writer *

Divya Unni Divyaa Unni is an Indian former actress and classical dancer of Indian origin who teaches various forms of dance such as Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattom. As an actress, she mainly appeared in Malayalam language films, in addition to ...

(born 1981), Indian actress of Malayalam and Tamil films * E. P. Unny, Indian political cartoonist. * K. S. Neelakantan Unni (1895–1980), Sanskrit scholar, compiled many legends about temples, famous persons, etc. and translated Kalidasa's ''Shakuntalam'' to Malayalam *

, Malayalam writer * M. K. Unni Nayar (1911–1950), Indian journalist *

Monisha Unni Monisha Unni (24 January 1971 – 5 December 1992) was an Indian actress, known for her works Predominantly in Malayalam films and in a few Tamil films. Monisha was 16 when she became the youngest actress ever to receive the National Film ...

(1971–1992), Indian film actress * P. Unni, Indian politician *

P. Unnikrishnan Parakkal Unnikrishnan (born 9 July 1966) is an Indian Carnatic vocalist and playback singer. Early life and background Unnikrishnan was born to K. Radhakrishnan and Dr. Harini Radhakrishnan in Palakkad, Kerala. The family home, Kesari Kuteer ...

(born 1966), Carnatic vocalist and playback singer * R. S. Unni (1925–1999), Indian politician *

Urmila Unni Urmila Unni (born 14 June 1962) is an Indian classical dancer and actress who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Her daughter Utthara Unni is also an actress. Personal life Unni was born on 14 June 1962, into a royal family as the daug ...

, Indian dancer and actress *

Utthara Unni Utthara Unni is an Indian Bharatanatyam dancer from Kerala. She has directed some short films, documentaries and music videos. She also acted in two films. She heads a dance academy called Temple Steps in Kochi, Kerala. Career As a dancer ...

, Indian film actress *

Varun Unni Varun Unni is an Indian composer and singer, who predominantly composes for television commercials. He has also composed for a few feature films, having debuted with the 2012 Malayalam film '' Annum Innum Ennum''. Early life and career Varun U ...

, Indian film composer and singer * Vidhya Unni, Indian film actress * Narayanan Parameswaran Unni (1936-), Sanskrit scholar, former Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala (1996 – 2000) *

Sandeep Unnikrishnan Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Ashoka Chakra (military decoration), AC (15 March 1977 – 28 November 2008) was an Indian Army officer, who was serving in the 51 Special Action Group of the National Security Guards, National Security Guard on depu ...

, Indian Army Officer *

B. Unnikrishnan Unnikrishnan Bhaskaran Pillai (born 14 August 1970), known mononymously as B Unnikrishnan, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, distributor and exhibitor who works in the Malayalam film industry. Early life Unnikrishnan. B. was born on 14 ...

, Indian (Kerala) Movie director

References

{{Reflist * ''Tiyyatunnikal'' by S Damodaran Unni Malayali Brahmins Social groups of Kerala Surnames of Indian origin Surnames of Hindu origin Brahmin communities of Kerala South Indian communities

Surname

History

People

See also

References