'atman' originates from Sanskrit, specifically the word 'ātman', where 'ātman' meant 'self' or 'breath'.

'atman' came into English usage via scholarly transliteration of Sanskrit in the 18th–19th centuries (through writings in Sanskrit, German and English), retaining the form 'atman' (and pluralized as 'atmans' or 'atmanas').

Initially in Sanskrit it signified 'breath' and 'self'; over time in English it has been used chiefly to mean the 'inner self' or 'soul' in philosophical and religious discussions.