The name Hariharalaya is derived from the name of Harihara, a Hindu deity prominent in pre-Angkorian Cambodia. The name Harihara in turn is a composite of Hari (one of Vishnu's names listed in Vishnu sahasranama) and Hara (meaning the Hindu god Shiva). Cambodian representations of Harihara were of a male deity whose one side bore the attributes of Vishnu and whose other side bore the attributes of Shiva. For example, the deity's head-covering consisted of a mitre-type hat (the attribute of Vishnu) on one side and as twisted locks of hair (the attribute of Shiva) on the other. Alaya is a sanskrit word meaning basis, or home, so Hariharalaya is home of Harihara or home of the deity representing both Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva).