Choosing Indian baby names can be a simple decision or a complex process. Lots of new parents are changing with the times, says Chetan Rajdev of Bachpan, an Indian name website with more than 30,000 name suggestions. “In recent years the trend has changed. Nowadays, parents are choosing modern, short and easy-to-pronounce names.
Many parents are considering naming a child with Sanskrit origin or spiritual names,” Rajdev says. For example, many couples are naming a child after Hindu deities — “mainly Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Durga and others,” he notes.
“Most of the Hindu families consider Vedic astrology to arrive at the name of the child,” adds Rajdev. “The initial letter of a name is believed to be very auspicious and is decided based on ‘Janm Nakshatra’ — or birth star — of the child. Indian history states that the process of choosing baby name by Hindu Nakshatra has been followed since centuries. It is followed even today.” He adds that the term Nakshatra means “sky map” or “star map.”
Sanjay Virmani of I Love India, an Indian lifestyle website, also with an extensive section on Indian baby names, says typically, names are chosen by one of these methods — “names of gods and goddesses, names that reflect the personality of the baby, a native place name, house name, great-great grandfathers’s name, etc.”
He adds, “There are naming conventions which ensure that the long names propagate — for example, in Tamil Brahmins (people from Chennai), the eldest son would be named after the paternal grandfather, the second son would be named after the maternal grandfather, and so on (similarly for daughters and grandmothers).
This ensures that there isn’t much flexibility with regard to the ‘traditional’ name.” One surprising fact, he says, is that in the northern part of India, people still use caste (a system of segregation of people) as part of their surname.
With all of that in mind, here’s a list of 22 Indian baby names to check out:
Indian Names for Girls
- Aarohi (ai-RO-hee)
Your girl may or may not be musical, but her name would mean “a musical tune” if you chose Aarohi.
- Ahana (AA-haa-na)
This name translates to “inner light.”
- Alia (ah-LEE-ah)
An example of “caste,” this name means “highest social standing.”
- Anvi (AHN-vee)
The name means “name of a goddess,” which of course, your girl is!
- Dia (DHIY-uh)
“Divine” is the meaning of Dia.
- Esha (EH-sha)
This name means “desire.”
- Keya (KEE-yah)
A “monsoon flower” is the meaning behind this poetic-sounding name.
- Mishti (mish-TEA)
Your daughter is sure to be sweet — and Mishti means “sweet person.”
- Navya (NAY-vee-ah)
“Worth praising” is its meaning.
- Saina (SAY-nah)
This name means “princess.”
- Vidhi (VID-ee)
This name means “goddess of destiny.”
Indian Names for Boys
- Aarav (AH-rav)
Your little boy could have a name meaning “peaceful,” but will that be his personality?
- Ahaan (AH-haan)
This mean “first ray of light.”
- Darshil (DAR-shil)
This name means “perfection,” and of course, perfect he is!
- Ishaan (ee-SHAWN)
One of the names of Lord Shiva.
- Kahaan (ka-HAAN)
One of the names of Lord Krishna.
- Manav (MA-nav)
This name means “man.”
- Nevaan (nay-VON)
This name means “holy.”
- Raahil (raa-HILL)
“Path guider” is the meaning behind Raahil.
- Sahil (sah-HILL)
“Guide” is the meaning for Sahil.
- Vedansh (vay-DOSH)
This name means “part of veda.” Vedas are texts originating in ancient India.
- Viyan (VI-an)
This name means “special knowledge.”
Many Indian family traditions are fading as lives are becoming increasingly busier. Choosing Indian baby names gives children a connection to their culture. As these kids grow, their names may even spark interest in learning more about where they’ve come from. Your family history is a rare treat to share with your child, knowing that one day, your great-great grandchildren will be hearing those same stories with your unique voice.
Margie Mars is a happily married mother of eight and Oma of three, including three children on the autism spectrum and one with ADHD. She writes about parenting topics for several popular websites. Margie lives with her family in Oregon.
