126 Indian girl names

Whether you're from India, live there, or have ties to the subcontinent, there's no shortage of ideas for potential Indian girl names.

Religion, location, and astrology are just a few of the many influences for parents naming their baby girls. Some Indian girl names are traditional and have been popular for centuries, while others are more unique and modern.

How India's regions, languages, and culture impact names

Naming conventions, traditions, and trends can also vary based on which corner of the subcontinent you or previous generations in your family have called home.

India is the most populous country in the world, and it comprises 28 states and eight union territories. Plus, there are thousands of ethnic groups and hundreds of languages spoken in this diverse, multicultural country.

In India, a person's name is often dictated by the family's religion or region of origin. Most Indian names are deeply connected to its meaning. Hindus make up about 80% of the Indian population, but there are also Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and more.

Many Indian girl names are derived from Hindu goddesses or divine virtues. It's also common to use your baby's numerology, zodiac sign, or birth star as inspiration for their name.

Beyond these traditions, there are also Indian girl names inspired by music, nature, virtues, places, or with meanings connected to love, happiness, and more. Of course, the majority of names are rooted in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language of India.

Common letters and sounds in Indian girl names

Many Indian girl names end with "-ya" (like Maya or Jiya), or the letters "a" or "i." You'll also see consonants next to each other at the beginning of the name, particularly "Kh-" and "Dh-." And it's not uncommon to see two of the letter "a" next to each other, like in Aadhya or Aarna.

20 popular Indian girl names

Each of these names scored a spot in the top 40 girl names on BabyCenter India in 2023.

Aadhya

Aadhya is another name for the Hindu warrior goddess Durga, who represents power, strength, and protection. This name may mean "original power" in Sanskrit.

Aarna

Aarna means "river" or "wave" in Sanskrit and is associated with Lakshmi, a Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, and abundance.

Aarohi

Aarohi means "rising" in Sanskrit and is a musical term for an ascending order of notes in Hindustani classical music.

Aditi

Aditi is an ancient, primeval Hindu goddess said to be the mother of many other gods, including Vishnu and Krishna. Her name means "boundless" and "freedom" in Sanskrit.

Amaya

Amaya means "sincere" or "without deceit" in Sanskrit.

Ayra

Ayra is an Indian name thought to mean "something that can't be quantified" or "more than the eye can behold."

Dhriti

Dhriti is another epithet for the goddess Lakshmi, and represents her aspect of steadfastness and determination. Rooted in Sanskrit, this name's meanings include "courage," "patience," and "fortitude."

Dhwani

Meaning "sound," "tone," and "echo" in Sanskrit, Dhwani is a concept in Sanskrit music theory.

Gauri

Gauri means "fair" or "white" in Sanskrit and is a byname of Parvati, the Hindu goddess of power, harmony, and motherhood.

Isha

Isha is rooted in a Sanskrit word that means "ruler" or "master" and is central to Hinduism: Isha Upanishad is a Hindu scripture, and Ishvara is an ancient Hindu philosophy about the "supreme self."

Kashvi

Kashvi doesn't have a clear origin, but it's believed to mean "luminous" or "shining."

Khadeeja

Khadeeja comes from an ancient Arabic name that means "premature child."

Maya

Maya is a name with meanings in many cultures. In Sanskrit, it's said to mean "dream" or "illusion," among other meanings. It's also said that Maya was the name of the mother of Gautama Buddha, whose teachings are the foundation of Buddhism.

Medha

Medha comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "wisdom" and "intelligence."

Riya

Riya is popularly believed to come from a Sanskrit word that means "singer."

Saanvi

Saanvi is believed to be an epithet for the goddess Lakshmi, though its meaning isn't certain. It may come from the Sanskrit words sa , referring to Lakshmi, plus anvi , meaning "to pursue" or "to follow," or sanu , meaning "peak" or "summit."

Samriddhi

Samriddhi means "prosperity" in Hindi.

Siya

Siya is another name for the Hindu goddess Sita, also known as the Mother Goddess and goddess of beauty, devotion, and courage.

Vedika

Vedika is a Hindu name related to a word meaning "sacrificial altar" or "place for a sacred ceremony."

Zainab

Zainab comes from an Arabic name for a beautiful, sweet-smelling plant.

15 unique Indian girl names

None of these names has ranked in the top 50 girls' names in at least 20 years, according to BabyCenter India.

Advika

Advika is another name with unclear origins, but it's tied to a Sanskrit word that means "matchless" or "unique."

Archisha

Archisha means "ray of light" or "luster" in Hindi.

Asha

Asha means "wish," "desire," or "hope" in Sanskrit.

Bharati

Bharati has a couple potential origins as a name. It could be a form of Bharat , which comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "being maintained" and is an epithet of Agni, the Hindu god of fire. Or it could be a form of a Sanskrit word that means "speech" or "voice" and an epithet of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and art.

Chaitri

Chaitri comes from Chaitra, the first month of the year in the Hindu calendar. It's associated with the first full moon of spring, and is perfect for a baby girl born around this time.

Farida

Farida is unique – literally. It's the feminine form of Farid , an Arabic name that means "unique" or "unrivaled." As a feminine name, it also means "gem."

Gulnaz

Gulnaz is related to the Persian name Gulzar , meaning "rose garden," and is associated with the meaning "cute as a flower."

Kalindi

In Hindu mythology, Kalindi is the daughter of Surya, the sun god, and a wife of Krishna, the god of protection and love. She's also associated with the Yamuna River, a sacred river in Hindu mythology.

Mahta

Mahta is another nature-inspired moniker, thought to mean "moon-like" in Persian.

Manasvita

Manasvita means "hope" in Sanskrit, among other meanings.

Naima

Naima means "contented" or "happy" in Arabic.

Nainika

Nainika is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "one who has beautiful eyes."

Priyali

Priyali means "love" and is thought to derive from Telugu, a language spoken in southern India.

Sarisha

Sarisha means "charm" or "elegance" in Sanskrit.

Yahvi

Yavhi is associated with a Sanskrit word meaning "heaven and earth."

33 pretty Indian girl names

Aishani

Aishani , which is connected to the goddess Durga, is a Hindu name that means "silk-cotton tree."

Bhavya

Bhavya comes from a Sanskrit word with meanings including "one who is beautiful," "splendid," "grandiose," and "auspicious."

Devanshi

Devanshi is the feminine form of Devansh, which is derived from a combination of the Sanskrit words dev ("god") and ansh ("part of"). Put together, it means "part of god."

Devi

Devi means "goddess" in Sanskrit.

Diya

Diya is an Arabic name that means "brightness" or "illumination."

Fazluna

Fazluna stems from an Arabic name meaning "desert flower."

Harpreet

Harpreet is associated with Hari, an epithet of the Hindu god Vishnu meaning "one who takes away (sins)," and the Sanskrit word priti , which means "pleasure," "joy," and "love."

Indira

Indira means "beauty" and "splendor" in Sanskrit, and is a name of the mother goddess Lakshmi.

Janaki

Janaki is a name for Sita, the mother goddess and the goddess of beauty and devotion in Hinduism.

Kalyani

Kalyani comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "beautiful" and "auspicious."

Kanta

Kanta means "desired" and "beautiful" in Sanskrit.

Kumari

Kumari means "princess" in Sanskrit.

Lakshmi

Lakshmi is the name of one of the three principal goddesses in Hinduism and the wife of Lord Vishnu. She is the goddess of wealth, good fortune, and good luck. Her name means "lucky omen."

Lavani

Lavani is a type of traditional song and dance popular in western India. Its name is thought to derive from a Kannada (a language spoken in southwestern India) word meaning "beauty" or "radiance."

Madhura

Madhura comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "sweetness."

Mala

Mala means "necklace" in Sanskrit.

Mohini

Mohini means "enchanting," "infatuating," and "bewitching" in Sanskrit.

Malati

Malati is the Sanskrit word for jasmine.

Nalina

Nalina is related to a Sanskrit word meaning "lotus" or "water lily."

Neha

Neha comes from a Sanskrit word that means "loving" and "tenderness."

Nisha

Nisha is a Sanskrit name that means "night."

Nitara

Nitara comes from a Sanskrit word that translates to "deeply rooted" or "standing firm."

Priti

Priti , also spelled Preeti , comes from a Sanskrit word with many meanings, including "kindness," "pleasure," and "joy."

Rikisha

Rikisha is a floral-inspired Hindi name meaning "rose."

Rupinder

Rupinder means "supremely beautiful" or "the most beautiful" in Sanskrit.

Sahasra

Sahasra is a Sanskrit name meaning "a thousand" or "infinite," and it's connected to the goddess Lakshmi.

Shirin

Shirin means "sweet" in Persian.

Suhana

Suhana means "pleasant" or "lovely" in both Hindi and Urdu.

Sumaira

Sumaira is thought to be a variant of the Arabic name Samira , which means "companion in night talk" – aka a trusted friend.

Talika

Talika is a Hindi name that means "bird."

Varsha

Varsha means "rain" in Sanskrit.

Viamala

Viamala or Vimala comes from a Sanskrit word that means "pure," and appears throughout Buddhism and Hinduism.

Vidya

Vidya comes from a Sanskrit word that translates to "knowledge," "learning," and "skill," and is another name of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and learning.

20 modern Indian girl names

Anika

Anika is the feminine form of Anik, which is rooted in Sanskrit and is thought to mean "army" or "soldier," as well as "splendor."

Anjali

Anjali is the word for a greeting of joined hands in Hinduism. It means "salutation" and "divine offering" in Sanskrit.

Arushi

Arushi is thought to derive from a Sanskrit word meaning "reddish," as in the color of dawn.

Disha

Disha comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "direction," as in a point on a compass.

Diva

As an Indian name, Diva is rooted in a Sanskrit word meaning "daytime" or "beacon."

Kimaya

Kimaya 's origins aren't certain, but it's thought to be rooted in Sanskrit and mean "divine" and "magical."

Latika

Latika comes from a Sanskrit word for a tendril or creeping vine of a plant. It's often taken to mean "elegance."

Maitreyi

Maitreyi is thought to mean "friendly one" or "friend" in Sanskrit, and was the name of a revered Vedic Indian scholar.

Nikita

Nikita is thought to be rooted in a Sanskrit word meaning "house" or "habitation."

Piya

Piya is a variant of Priya , which is rooted in a Sanskrit word meaning "beloved."

Parvati

Parvati is one of the three mother goddesses in Hinduism, and she's also the goddess of power, harmony, and devotion, among other things. Her name is rooted in Sanskrit and means "daughter of the mountain."

Rani

Rani might sound like an ultra-modern name, but it's rooted in the ancient Sanskrit language and means "queen."

Rekha

Rekha comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "line," and has a few poetic interpretations – like lines of scripture; lines of light, as in sun rays; or the line or arc of a character in a story.

Sameera

Sameera , associated with the Hindu god of wind, means "breeze."

Shreya

Shreya means "auspicious," "superior," and "blessed" in Sanskrit.

Tara

Tara is a name in several cultures, but in Hindi it means "star."

Tulsi

Tulsi comes from the Sanskrit word for the holy basil plant, which is sacred to the Hindu god Vishnu.

Uma

Uma is thought to be related to the Sanskrit word for flax or turmeric, though it's also a name of the mother goddess Parvati.

Veda

Veda is the name of Hindu scriptures, and it means "sacred knowledge" or "holy learning" in Sanskrit.

Zaina

Zaina is a feminine version of the Arabic name Zain , which is thought to mean "beautiful."

38 more Indian girl names

Aadrika

Aadrika comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "celestial" or "mountain."

Aditri

Aditri has unclear origins in India, but it's believed to mean "highest honor" or "learned one."

Ambika

Ambika is thought to mean "dear mother" in Sanskrit. It's another name for the Hindu goddess Durga.

Amrit

Amrit means "immortal" in Sanskrit, and is often tied to ambrosia, a nectar that gives immortality, in Hindu mythology.

Anvi

Anvi comes from a Sanskrit word with meanings including "to follow" and "to pursue."

Bahar

Bahar comes from the word for "spring" in Persian.

Chandra

Chandra means "moon" in Sanskrit, and is derived from a word that means "to shine."

Falguni

Falguni might be a good option for February or March babies, since it's connected to Phalguna, the twelfth month of the year on the Hindu calendar. It's also the name of a constellation.

Gargi

Gargi , a variation of the name for the goddess Durga, is also the name of an ancient scholar and learned woman.

Gita

Gita means "song" in Sanskrit.

Harshita

Harshita is a Hindi name connected to the meanings "joy," "delight," and "cheer."

Jaya

Jaya comes from a word that means "victory" in Sanskrit. It's also a name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Jyoti

Jyoti means "divine light" in Sanskrit, and is often a symbol of heaven.

Kailash

Kailash is the name of a mountain in the Himalayas said to be the paradise of the Hindu Lord Shiva.

Kalpana

Kalpana means "imagination" and "fantasy" in Sanskrit.

Kamala

Kamala comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "pink" and is another word for lotus.

Lalita

Lalita means "playful," "charming," and "desirable" in Sanskrit.

Latika

Latika comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "elegant creeper or vine," and is often associated with the poetic meaning "string of pearls."

Mahi

Mahi means "the earth" in Sanskrit, and it's also the name of a river in western India. It's also commonly associated with the goddess Saraswati, and a similar word means "greatness" and "intellect."

Meena

Meena means "fish" and "Pisces" in Sanskrit.

Mitra

Mitra comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "friend."

Naina

Naina is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "eye."

Noor

Noor has Arabic origins and means "light" or "radiance."

Padma

Padma is another name that means "lotus" in Sanskrit.

Puja

Puja is tied to a Sanskrit word meaning "worship." It's also the word for sacred rituals in both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Purnima

Purnima means "full moon" in Sanskrit.

Radha

Radha means "success" and "prosperity" in Sanskrit. It's also the name of the Hindu god Krishna's favorite consort, who is associated with beauty and compassion.

Rajani

Rajani means "dark one" in Sanskrit, and is another name for the goddess Durga.

Sai

Sai has two key meanings in Sanskrit: "one who is divine" and "one who strives."

Shakti

Shakti means "power" in Sanskrit, and is the name of the female counterpart of Shiva.

Shanta

Shanta is the name of a princess in the Indian epic Ramayana . Her name is thought to mean "pacified" or "calm" in Sanskrit.

Sheela

Sheela has a few meanings in Sanskrit, including "good character," "piety," and "gentleness."

Simran

Simran comes from a Sanskrit word that means "recollection," and is often associated with the meanings "meditation" and "remembrance."

Sumati

Sumati literally translates to "good mind" in Sanskrit and denotes benevolence and wisdom.

Tanvi

Tanvi comes from Sanskrit and means "slender" and "delicate."

Usha

Usha comes from a Sanskrit word that means "dawn."

Vidhi

Vidhi means "fate" or "destiny" in Sanskrit. It's also the word for a series of ceremonies that take place before a Hindu wedding.

Wamika

Wamika is a name for the Hindu goddess Durga, one of the mother goddesses and the goddess of power, strength, and protection.