As part of our Baby Names Around the World series, it only makes sense to spend time looking at the traditionally beautiful and strong baby names from India. With over 600 million speakers, there are over 1,600 languages and dialects in the region according to Berlitz. The Census of India of 2001 revealed that India has 122 major languages, 30 of which are spoken by more than a million people. It is important to point out that just like in the West, many of these names cross borders and languages. As non-native speakers, please keep in mind that we welcome input from our many users from India – we see you! Email us with your comments at names@babynames.com.

Many of the visitors to BabyNames.com look for names that are rare or unique to their language. Some of the most overlooked names, however, are those from non-western countries, such as India. India has a long-standing tradition regarding Indian names and baby naming: given names have been essential for individualization, particularly since surnames in the past were chosen or reflective of caste. Sometimes, given names were spelled differently, even for the same person. Indian baby names may be split into two words, or be many joined together into one, such as Lila Devi or Liladevi (CIA, 1965). Of note, Devi is the middle name of our part-Indian U.S. Vice-President: Kamala Devi Harris.

Middle names often have a function for the first name. For instance, if a first name is gender neutral, the second name can help to identify the gender assigned at birth. Middle names can also reflect the father of a son, sometimes including his entire name.

Many of the male names are also female names by the change of a single letter. Examples include Lalita (F) and Lalit (M), Vimala (F) and Vimal (M), Aditi (F) and Adit (M).

Popular Indian baby names are often influenced by gods and goddesses, religious affiliation, and regional history. The meanings of Indian baby names are frequently characteristics (such as “pleasing” or “pure”), which is notable among many of the names presented below.

Traditionally Gender-Neutral Indian Baby Names

Name	Meaning
Arya	Noble
Bala	Youthful
Chandra	Moon
Devi	Goddess
Hira	Diamond
Jaya	Victorious
Lakshmi	Sign
Lila	Playful
Maya	Illusion
Saran	Sanctuary
Satya	Truthful
Shashi	Owner of Rabbits

 Traditionally Female Indian Baby Names

Name	Meaning
Aditi	Free
Beena	Musical Instrument/Wise
Gita	Song
Indira	Beautiful
Kalpana	Fantasy
Lalita	Sweet, Elegant
Leela	Playful
Parvati	Of the Mountains
Priyanka	Amenable
Usha	Dawn
Veena	Musical Instrument
Vimla	Pure

Traditionally Male Indian Baby Names

Name	Meaning
Abhay	Fearless
Ajay	Unconquerable
Amar	Long Life
Ashwin	Horse Tamer, Light
Athavan	Sun
Deepak	Excitement
Dev/Deva	God
Dharma*	Divine Law
Ganesh	Ruler
Karan	Skilled or Smart
Krishna	Black
Mayur	Peacock
Narendra	Ruler
Ram	Attractive, Pleasant
Ravi	Sun
Sachin	Actual/Real

*Dharma is a traditionally male name in India; however, in the U.S., it has a female connotation due to the 2002 television show “Dharma and Greg” where Dharma was played by actress Jenna Elfman.

Favorites among these Indian baby names include Devi, Leela, and Beena for girls. For boys, I like Dev and Ashwin quite a bit. I think both could cross-over into the West. Of the gender-neutral Indian baby names, Arya, Maya, and Lila — all of which have multiple origins — are already commonly used in the U.S. My top choice for all the names is Ajay, which not only could become popular in the U.S. but across the globe. I also like its meaning, which is unconquerable. What are your favorites? Which do you think will trend up or down? Email us at names@babynames.com.