Karanam (also spelled as Karnam), is a title and surname native to Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Traditionally, Karanam or Karnam was a title used by people who maintained the accounts and records of the villages and used in collecting taxes. The post was usually held by either Niyogi or Deshastha Brahmins. The title Karanam is similar to Kulkarni in North Karnataka and Maharashtra and Shanbhaug in Karnataka and Patnaik in Odisha.