Top 10 Highest Mountains: Their Names and Meanings

By Priyanka Roshan | July 1, 2024

White Scribbled Underline

10. Annapurna

Height: 8,091 meters

Named after Hindu goddess Annapurna, meaning ‘everlasting food,’ believed to reside there.

(Image: Unsplash)

9. Nanga Parbat

Height: 8,126 meters

Derived from Sanskrit, means ‘Naked Mountain,’ known for its challenging climb.

(Image: Unsplash)

8. Manaslu

Height: 8,163 meters

Means ‘mountain of the spirit,’ from Sanskrit word ‘Manasa,’ signifying intellect or soul.

(Image: Unsplash)

7. Dhaulagiri

Height: 8,167 meters

Nepali name derived from Sanskrit, meaning ‘dazzling, white mountain.’

(Image: Unsplash)

6. Cho Oyu

Height: 8,188 meters

Tibetan for ‘Turquoise Goddess,’ in the Khumbu sub-section of Mahalangur Himalaya.

(Image: Wikimedia)

5. Makalu

Height: 8,485 meters

Located in Mahalangur Himalayas, bordering Nepal and Tibet. Named from Sanskrit ‘Maha-Kala,’ meaning ‘Big Black,’ a name of Lord Shiva.

(Image: Unsplash)

4. Lhotse

Height: 8,516 meters

Tibetan for ‘South Peak,’ on the Tibet-Nepal border in the Khumbu region.

(Image: Unsplash)

3. Kangchenjunga

Height: 8,586 meters

Derived from Tibetan, means ‘the five treasures of the high snow,’ recognized in Sikkim.

(Image: Unsplash)

2. K2

Height: 8,611 meters

Named by the Great Trigonometrical Survey, K2 is the highest peak in the Karakoram range. Surveyor Thomas Montgomerie labeled peaks K1 and K2, with 'K' denoting Karakoram.

(Image: Wikimedia)

1. Mount Everest

Height: 8,848 meters

Earth’s highest mountain above sea level, named after Sir George Everest, former Surveyor General of India, despite his objections.

(Image: Unsplash)