As a deity name
Name 460 of the Hanuman Sahasranāma — Rasvin Samhita / Brahmanda Purana, as taught by Lord Ram / Sages
Name 211 of the Krishna Sahasranāma — Mahabharata / Padma Purana, as taught by Sages and Devotees
Name 518 of the Surya Sahasranāma — Bhavishya Purana, as taught by Lord Brahma / Sages
As a Hindi name
No reading on this path — this spelling has no entry in our Hindi sources, and no near neighbour is attested there either. We say so rather than invent one.
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
a cowherd, &c. (ifc. ā, )
Scripturally attested Verified split — attested membersMultiple readings (6)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "gopālāya" is the dative of "gopāla" — the same word in a different grammatical case.
M3 · meaning shifts "gopāla" is derived from "gopā" with the lac suffix — a related word whose meaning shifts, so both meanings are shown.
go—pā m. (nom. ās acc. ām du. ā or au pl. nom. ās instr. ābhis) a herdsman, guardian, RV.; AV.; VS.; TBr. iii; ChUp.; ŚvetUp.
go—pā f. (ās) a female guardian, AV. xii, 1, 57; TBr. iii (cf. gopa s.v., a-, deva-, vāyu-, saha-, soma-, su-gopā)
go—pāla m. (proparox., Pāṇ. vi, 2, 78) a cowherd, VS. xxx, 11; ŚBr. iv; Mn. iv, 253; Yājñ. &c. (ifc. f(ā). , R. ii, 67, 25)
‘earth-protector’, a king (and ‘cowherd’), Pañcat.
Related forms
Dictionary citations
go—pāla m. (proparox., Pāṇ. vi, 2, 78) a cowherd, VS. xxx, 11; ŚBr. iv; Mn. iv, 253; Yājñ. &c. (ifc. f(ā). , R. ii, 67, 25)
‘earth-protector’, a king (and ‘cowherd’), Pañcat.
go—pā m. (nom. ās acc. ām du. ā or au pl. nom. ās instr. ābhis) a herdsman, guardian, RV.; AV.; VS.; TBr. iii; ChUp.; ŚvetUp.
go—pā f. (ās) a female guardian, AV. xii, 1, 57; TBr. iii (cf. gopa s.v., a-, deva-, vāyu-, saha-, soma-, su-gopā)
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
Sources contain errors and engines have limits; every claim above carries its citation so you can verify it. This is guidance about names and their sources — not religious or astrological consultation. How we work · Our sources