Mount Everest's Nepali Name: Sagarmatha — Meaning & Significance

In Nepal, Mount Everest is called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा).

Etymology

From Tibetan: Sagar (sky/heaven) + Matha (head/forehead) → "Head of the Sky" or "Goddess of the Sky."

Cultural Context

• Reflects Sherpa/Nepali reverence: the mountain is a sacred abode of deities (Miyolangsangma, goddess of inexhaustible giving).
• Official since 1960s (replacing "Chomolungma" — Tibetan name — in Nepali government use).
• Sagarmatha National Park (UNESCO World Heritage) encompasses the south-side approach.

Tibetans (north side) use Chomolungma (ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ) — "Holy Mother." Both names honor the peak's spiritual stature beyond its physical height.