As a deity name
Name 137 of the Ganesha Sahasranāma — Ganesha Purana (Upasana Khanda), as taught by Sage Vyasa / Lord Ganesha
Name 615 of the Hanuman Sahasranāma — Rasvin Samhita / Brahmanda Purana, as taught by Lord Ram / Sages
Name 494 of the Narasimha Sahasranāma — Brahmanda Purana / Narasimha Purana, as taught by Sages to Assembly of Devotees
Name 158 of the Shiva Sahasranāma — Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva), as taught by Sage Tandi to Sage Upamanyu
As a Hindi name
महानाद · noun · masculine
हाथी · ऊँट · सिंह — Śabdasāgara
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
a great drum
Scripturally attested Verified derivationMultiple readings (6)Why this matches what you typed
The spelling you confirmed, महानाद, is itself a dictionary headword — no grammatical transformation stands between what you typed and the meaning above.
Dictionary citations
mahā—nāda m. a loud sound, l˚ cry, roaring, bellowing, MBh.; MārkP.
mahā—nāda mf(ā)n. l˚-sounding, roaring or bellowing loudly, making a loud noise, MBh.; R.
mahā—nāda m. a great drum, L.
a muscle, shell, L.
rain-cloud, L.
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