Yoga Poses With Names (English + Sanskrit)
Most yoga poses have two names: an English name (like Downward-Facing Dog) and a Sanskrit name (Adho Mukha Svanasana). This guide lists 30 essential yoga poses with both names, organized by category — standing, seated, balancing, backbends, inversions, and resting poses — plus a short explanation of how Sanskrit naming works so unfamiliar pose names start making sense on their own.
Quick Answers: Poses People Search By Description, Not Name
Sometimes you know exactly what a pose looks like but can't remember what it's called. Here are quick answers to two of the specific descriptions people search for most:
Which yoga pose is named after a loyal companion animal? That's Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) — svana is Sanskrit for dog, and the pose is named for its resemblance to a dog stretching after a nap.
What is the yoga pose where you stand with hands and head on the ground and legs pointing up? That's Headstand (Sirsasana). It's a rewarding pose, but it carries real neck-injury risk when self-taught — learn it with in-person instruction before attempting it alone (more on this below).
How Sanskrit Pose Names Work
Almost every Sanskrit pose name ends in asana, which simply means seat or posture. The rest of the name describes the pose — usually an animal, object, sage, or body position. Once you know a handful of common roots, you can decode most names you hear in class:
- Adho = downward · Urdhva = upward · Supta = reclining · Utthita = extended
- Eka pada = one leg/foot · Ardha = half · Parivrtta = revolved (twisted)
- Svana = dog · Bhujanga = cobra/serpent · Vrksa = tree · Ustra = camel
- Mukha = face · Hasta = hand · Pada = foot · Sirsa = head
So Adho Mukha Svanasana literally reads downward-facing dog pose, and Eka Pada Rajakapotasana reads one-legged king pigeon pose. A note on pronunciation: most English-speaking classes use approximate pronunciations, and that is fine — teachers care far more about safe alignment than perfect Sanskrit.
Standing Poses
| English name | Sanskrit name | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Pose | Tadasana | Beginner |
| Standing Forward Fold | Uttanasana | Beginner |
| Chair Pose | Utkatasana | Beginner |
| Warrior I | Virabhadrasana I | Beginner |
| Warrior II | Virabhadrasana II | Beginner |
| Warrior III | Virabhadrasana III | Intermediate |
| Triangle Pose | Trikonasana | Beginner |
| Extended Side Angle | Utthita Parsvakonasana | Beginner |
| Pyramid Pose | Parsvottanasana | Intermediate |
Standing poses build leg strength, balance, and stamina, and they form the backbone of most vinyasa and hatha classes. Mountain Pose looks like simply standing still, but it teaches the alignment template — stacked joints, engaged legs, long spine — that nearly every other pose builds on.
Seated Poses and Twists
| English name | Sanskrit name | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Easy Pose | Sukhasana | Beginner |
| Staff Pose | Dandasana | Beginner |
| Seated Forward Fold | Paschimottanasana | Beginner |
| Bound Angle Pose | Baddha Konasana | Beginner |
| Half Lord of the Fishes | Ardha Matsyendrasana | Intermediate |
| Lotus Pose | Padmasana | Advanced |
A quick honesty note on Lotus Pose: despite its iconic status, full Padmasana requires unusually open hips, and forcing it is a common cause of knee strain. Easy Pose or a supported cross-legged seat works just as well for breathing and meditation. For more options that stay close to the floor, see our guide to seated yoga poses.
Balancing Poses
| English name | Sanskrit name | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Pose | Vrksasana | Beginner |
| Eagle Pose | Garudasana | Intermediate |
| Half Moon Pose | Ardha Chandrasana | Intermediate |
| Dancer Pose | Natarajasana | Intermediate |
| Crow Pose | Bakasana | Intermediate |
Backbends
| English name | Sanskrit name | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Cobra Pose | Bhujangasana | Beginner |
| Sphinx Pose | Salamba Bhujangasana | Beginner |
| Bridge Pose | Setu Bandha Sarvangasana | Beginner |
| Camel Pose | Ustrasana | Intermediate |
| Bow Pose | Dhanurasana | Intermediate |
| Wheel Pose | Urdhva Dhanurasana | Advanced |
Wheel Pose and other deep backbends put a premium on flexible hips and shoulders — a block, strap, or wheel can make the difference between forcing a shape and building toward it safely:
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Inversions and Resting Poses
| English name | Sanskrit name | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Downward-Facing Dog | Adho Mukha Svanasana | Beginner |
| Legs-Up-the-Wall | Viparita Karani | Beginner |
| Child Pose | Balasana | Beginner |
| Corpse Pose | Savasana | Beginner |
Downward Dog technically counts as a mild inversion because the heart sits above the head. Stronger inversions like Headstand (Sirsasana) and Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) exist too, but they carry real neck-injury risk when self-taught, so we recommend learning them only with in-person instruction. If you searched for the pose where your hands and head rest on the ground and your legs point straight up, that's Headstand — see the quick answer above, and start with a spotter or a dedicated headstand tutorial before trying it solo.
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How Many Yoga Poses Are There, Really?
How many yoga poses actually exist depends entirely on which tradition or list you're counting. A few numbers come up again and again in searches. 12 basic postures is a common beginner starting set, close to the ten poses covered in "How to Actually Memorize Pose Names" below. 26 traditional poses usually refers to the fixed Bikram / hot yoga sequence, a specific 26-posture series taught the same way in every studio that uses it. The classical figure of 84 poses is cited across centuries of hatha yoga texts, though which 84 varies by source, and no single canonical list survives intact. None of these is "the" official count — including 10 most popular poses lists, which simply reflect whichever class or app compiled them. As the FAQ below notes, most practitioners work with a functional vocabulary of 30 to 50 poses, which is plenty to follow nearly any class.
How to Actually Memorize Pose Names
- Learn poses in families, not alphabetically. All the Warrior poses share Virabhadrasana; numbering them is easier than learning three unrelated names.
- Decode the roots. Use the vocabulary list above — once Adho Mukha means downward-facing to you, half the catalog unlocks.
- Say the name while you hold the pose. Pairing a physical position with a word is far stickier than flashcards alone.
- Follow along in classes that call both names. Many hatha teachers cue in English and Sanskrit; repetition in context does most of the work.
- Start with the 10 you will hear constantly: Tadasana, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Bhujangasana, Virabhadrasana I and II, Trikonasana, Vrksasana, Balasana, Savasana.
If you are brand new and want pose instructions rather than just names, start with our yoga poses for beginners guide, which walks through setup and alignment, or the broader yoga for beginners starting plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no fixed number. Classical hatha texts describe a few dozen postures, while modern references catalog several hundred poses and variations. Most practitioners use a working vocabulary of 30 to 50 poses.
No. Most Western classes cue in English, and no teacher expects fluency. Learning Sanskrit names is optional but useful, since they are consistent across countries and styles while English names vary.
Asana is Sanskrit for seat or posture. It appears at the end of nearly every pose name, which is why you hear it constantly in class. In yoga philosophy, asana originally referred to a stable seated position for meditation.
Start with Mountain Pose, Downward-Facing Dog, Child Pose, Cobra, Warrior II, Tree Pose, and Savasana. These seven appear in almost every beginner class and teach the foundational movement patterns used everywhere else.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Svana means dog in Sanskrit, and the pose is named for its resemblance to a dog stretching after a nap.
Headstand (Sirsasana). It is worth learning with an in-person instructor first, since improper alignment can strain the neck.
Have a correction? Contact us.
Last update 2026-09-10. Price and product availability may change.
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