Thread by @HinduMediaWiki

Meaning of Uma:

Consort of Bhagvan Shiva is mostly known by her name 'Parvati'. But in Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas we find the name of 'Uma' being used.

A thread:

Right from the 5th Anuvaka of Sri Rudram which starts with 'नमः सोमाय च' or 'Salutations to Bhagvan who is with Uma' to the Taittariya Aranyaka of the Yajurveda which states:

अम्बिकापतये उमापतये पशुपतये नमो नमः ॥ १॥
[YajurVeda T.A. 10.22.1]

In the Kaivalya Upanishad too we find:

उमासहायं परमेश्वरं प्रभुं त्रिलोचनं नीलकण्ठं प्रशान्तम् ।

In the Kena Upanishad too she is referred by the name Uma:

उमां हैमवतीं ताँहोवाच (Kena Upanishad 3.12)

Not only this, In the Valmiki Ramayana also, she is referred by the name Uma:

तस्यां गंगेयमभवज्ज्येष्ठा हिमवतः सुता |
उमा नाम द्वितीयाभूत्कन्या तस्यैव राघव || १-३५-१६

The Shiva Purana itself is divided into several Samhitas & one of which is 'Uma Samhita' (&not Parvati Samhita)

Since the Vedas, Upanishads, Itihasas, and Puranas are calling her by the name Uma, there should be a significant meaning of the name Uma.

'Om' is formed of the letters 'A', 'U', 'M', and Uma is formed of the letters 'U', 'M', 'A'. So, does the name 'Uma' represents the (Om)?

So the question is Do scriptures mention that 'Uma' name is Pranava (Aum) swarupa?

Yes, the Great Goddess herself describes her form as that of the Praṇava.

In Chapter 49: Manifestation of Uma from the Section 5-Umā-Saṃhitā of Śhiva Purāṇa

उमोवाच
umovāca:
न ब्रह्मा न मुरारातिर्न पुरारातिरीश्वरः ।
मदने गर्वितुं किंचित्का कथान्यसुपर्वणाम् ॥२७॥

Meaning, Umā said:—

Neither Brahma nor Viṣṇu nor Śiva the slayer of the Tripura demon can bluff before me. What about the other gods?

परं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः प्रणवद्वन्द्वरूपिणी ।
अहमेवास्मि सकलं मदन्यो नास्ति कश्चन ॥२८॥

The great Brahman, the great light in the form of the two Praṇavas (Om), I alone am. I am all. There is none other beside me.

The importance of Two Pranava is explained in the: Chapter 17. from the Section 1 - Vidyeśvara-Saṃhitā of Śhiva Purāṇa

Now next question is What is the meaning of Uma? Is there any connection between UMA and the Pranava - AUM?

1. From Śiva Sutra 1.13

इच्छा शक्तिरुमा कुमारी ॥
icchā śaktirumā kumārī ॥

Desire, power is Umā, the Virgin.

2. From the Bhāskarāraya's commentary named - "Soubhāgyabhāskara" on the Lalitā Sahasranāmam:

A more detailed etymological discussion of the word is given by Bhaskararaya in his commentary on Lalitā - Sahasranāmam.

Umā occurs as the 633rd word in the Sahashranamam

Umā.

U, S'iva, Mā, Lakşmi or U. S'iva Mā, limits. Or, Umā = rose color, also saffron color, fame, brightness. For it is said, "Devi who resides as brightness in all creatures." The Visva, "Umā, means daughter of Himavat Mountain, saffron, fame, and brightness."

Or, U, note of interrogation, Ma, negation: when the Devi was performing penance she was forbidden by her mother. The Kālikā Pr. says, "Because when she was forbidden to go to the forest to perform penance she was called Umā (not to go)."

The same story is repeated in the Brahmā. Pr. and in Puskara Khanda of the Padma Pr.

Or Umā: U, Mā and A which forms Praņava meaning respectively, Brahmā, Rudra and Vişnu; and many other meanings of Pranava also are to be taken here.

Therefore those who know the secret call this (Umā) Devī Praṇava.

In Linga Puranaλ Siva says to Devī, “In my Praṇava there are A-U-Mā, and U-Mā-and A are in the order in your Pranava, with the three notes (Mātrās) and with the highest pluta.”

Therefore, Bhāgavatī UMĀ is indeed a representation of the Praṇava OM.

In cover image : Shiva, Uma, and Their Son Skanda (Somaskandamurti) early 11th century, Tamilnadu, now at MetMusesum (sad)
metmuseum.org/art/collection…