ཐུབ་བསྟན་

Thubten

unisexTibetanBuddhist

Thubten is a Buddhist unisex name of Tibetan origin, meaning “Teaching of the Buddha”.

MeaningTeaching of the Buddha
GenderUnisex
OriginTibetan
Written asཐུབ་བསྟན་
PronunciationTOOP-ten
TraditionBuddhist
Used inChina, India, Nepal, Bhutan

Meaning and origin of Thubten

Thubten (thub bstan) joins thubpa, 'the Able One', a Tibetan title of the Buddha (Sanskrit muni), with tenpa, 'teaching', so it means 'the doctrine of the Buddha'. It is often given at ordination or by a lama, and is borne by the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. The name is used for monks, nuns and lay people of both genders.

Is Thubten a Buddhist name?

Thubten is a classic Tibetan Buddhist name expressing devotion to the Buddha's teachings.

How popular is Thubten?

Common in Tibetan communities, especially among monastics.

Gifts with the name Thubten

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Spellings and variants of Thubten

ThuptenTubtenThubtan

Names similar to Thubten

More Buddhist unisex names

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Thubten mean?

Thubten means 'Teaching of the Buddha'. It is of Tibetan origin.

Is Thubten a Buddhist name?

Thubten is a classic Tibetan Buddhist name expressing devotion to the Buddha's teachings.

How do you pronounce Thubten?

Thubten is pronounced TOOP-ten.

Is Thubten a boy or girl name?

Thubten is used for both boys and girls.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.