Aarti f Hindi, MarathiFrom the name of a Hindu ritual in which offerings of lamps or candles are made to various gods, derived from Sanskrit
आरात्रिक (aratrika).
Abha f HindiMeans
"splendour, light" in Sanskrit.
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, KannadaMeans
"boundless, entire" or
"freedom, security" in Sanskrit. This is the name of an ancient Hindu goddess of the sky and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of the gods.
Agni 1 m Hinduism, HindiMeans
"fire" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the ancient Hindu fire god, usually depicted as red-skinned with three legs, seven arms, and two faces.
Aiza f UrduMeaning unknown, possibly of Arabic origin.
Amit 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliMeans
"immeasurable, infinite" in Sanskrit.
Amitabh m HindiMeans
"immeasurable splendour" in Sanskrit. A famous bearer is Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan (1942-).
Amporn f ThaiDerived from Thai
อํา (am) meaning "to hide" and
พร (phon) meaning "blessing".
Amrit m HindiMeans
"immortal" from Sanskrit
अ (a) meaning "not" and
मृत (mrta) meaning "dead". In Hindu texts it refers to a drink that gives immortality.
Anil m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, NepaliDerived from Sanskrit
अनिल (anila) meaning
"air, wind". This is another name of
Vayu, the Hindu god of the wind.
Anima 1 f HindiMeans
"minuteness" from Sanskrit
अणिमन (animan). In yoga texts, this is the name of the ability to make oneself infinitely small so to be invisible.
Anish m Hindi, MarathiMeans
"supreme, paramount, without a ruler", from the Sanskrit negative prefix
अ (a) and
ईश (isha) meaning "ruler, lord".
Anisha f HindiMeans
"nightless, sleepless" in Sanskrit.
Anit m HindiPossibly means
"not guided" in Sanskrit.
Anuj m Hindi, MarathiMeans
"born later, younger" in Sanskrit. This name is sometimes given to the younger sibling of an older child.
Arjuna m HinduismMeans
"white, clear" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hero in Hindu texts, the son of the god
Indra and the princess Kunti.
Arthit m ThaiMeans
"sun" in Thai, derived from the name of the Hindu god
Aditya.
Arundhati f Hinduism, HindiThe name of a star (also called Alcor), which was named after a type of climbing plant, possibly meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief it is the name of the sage Vasishtha's wife, who is identified with the star.
Arushi f Hinduism, HindiFrom Sanskrit
अरुष (arusha) meaning
"reddish, dawn", a word used in the
Rigveda to describe the red horses of
Agni. This name also appears in the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata belonging to a daughter of
Manu and the wife of Chyavana, though in this case it might derive from Sanskrit
आरुषी (arushi) meaning
"hitting, killing".
Arya 1 m & f Persian, Hindi, MalayalamFrom an old Indo-Iranian root meaning "Aryan, noble". In India, this is a transcription of both the masculine form
आर्य and the feminine form
आर्या. In Iran it is only a masculine name.
Ashoka m SanskritMeans
"without sorrow" in Sanskrit. This name was borne by Ashoka the Great, a 3rd-century BC emperor of India.
Avalokiteshvara m BuddhismMeans
"the lord who looks down" in Sanskrit, derived from
अवलोक् (avalok) meaning "to look down" and
ईश्वर (ishvara) meaning "lord, god". The original form of the name may have been
अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), with the final element being
स्वर (svara) meaning "sound, tone" (as evidenced by the Chinese form
Guanyin). In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with compassion.
Avanti f HindiFrom the name of an ancient kingdom of central India that had its capital at Ujjain.
Ayaan 1 m HindiFrom Sanskrit
अयान (ayana) meaning
"not moving" or
"natural disposition" or
अयन (ayana) meaning
"path" or
"precession".
Ayan 1 m BengaliMeans
"road, path, solar path" in Bengali, from Sanskrit
अयन (ayana) meaning
"path" or
"precession".
Babur m UrduFrom a Persian word meaning
"tiger". This was the nickname of Zahir ud-Din Muhammad, the 16th-century founder of the Mughal Empire in India.
Bahadur m Hindi, NepaliFrom Persian
بهادر (bahador), itself from Turkic
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior". This was the name of rulers of the Mughal Empire.
Bala 1 m & f Hinduism, TamilMeans
"young" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form
बाल and the feminine form
बाला (a minor Hindu goddess).
Baladeva m HinduismMeans
"god of strength" from Sanskrit
बल (bala) meaning "strength" combined with
देव (deva) meaning "god". Baladeva (also called Balarama) is the name of the older brother of the Hindu god
Krishna.
Balarama m HinduismFrom Sanskrit
बल (bala) meaning "strength, might" combined with the name of the Hindu deity
Rama 1. This is the name of a Hindu god, the elder brother of
Krishna.
Bharata m HinduismMeans
"being maintained" in Sanskrit. This is one of the names of
Agni, the Hindu god of fire, and is also the name of the brother of
Rama in the Hindu epic the
Ramayana. It was also borne by a legendary king, the son of
Dushyanta and
Shakuntala. The official name of the country of India, Bharat, derives from him.
Bhaskara m HinduismMeans
"shining", derived from a combination of Sanskrit
भास (bhasa) meaning "light" and
कर (kara) meaning "maker". This is another name of Hindu sun god
Surya. It was additionally borne by a 12th-century Indian astronomer, also known as Bhaskaracharya.
Bhima m HinduismMeans
"terrible, formidable" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the second son of Pandu, and thus one of the five Pandavas. He was known for his terrific strength and skill as a warrior.
Bhumi f HinduismMeans
"earth, soil" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu earth goddess. She is the wife of Varaha, an avatar of Vishnu.
Brahma m HinduismMeans
"growth, expansion, creation" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Brahma is the creator and director of the universe, the balance between the opposing forces of
Vishnu and
Shiva. He is often depicted with four heads and four arms.
Brijesha m HinduismMeans
"ruler of Brij" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, Brij being a region associated with him.
Chanda m & f Hinduism, HindiMeans
"fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form
चण्ड and the feminine form
चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess
Durga).
Chandra m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, NepaliMeans
"moon" in Sanskrit, derived from
चन्द (chand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of the masculine form
चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts, which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form
चण्डा.
Channary f KhmerMeans
"moon-faced girl" from Khmer
ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and
នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
China f English (Modern)From the name of the Asian country, ultimately derived from
Qin, the name of a dynasty that ruled there in the 3rd century BC.
Damayanti f HinduismMeans
"subduing" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of a beautiful princess, the wife of Nala.
Damodara m HinduismMeans
"rope around the belly", derived from Sanskrit
दाम (dama) meaning "rope" and
उदर (udara) meaning "belly". This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, given to him because his foster-mother tied him to a large urn.
Danish m UrduFrom Persian
دانش (danesh) meaning
"knowledge, learning".
Dayaram m HindiMeans
"compassion of Rama", from Sanskrit
दया (daya) meaning "compassion" combined with the name of the god
Rama 1.
Debdas m BengaliBengali form of
Devadas. This is the name of a 1917 novel by the Bengali author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Deepak m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliAlternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali
दीपक, Bengali
দীপক, Gujarati
દીપક, Gurmukhi
ਦੀਪਕ, Malayalam
ദീപക്, Kannada
ದೀಪಕ್, Tamil
தீபக் or Telugu
దీపక్ (see
Dipak).
Devi f Hinduism, Hindi, TamilDerived from Sanskrit
देवी (devi) meaning
"goddess". Devi is the Hindu mother goddess who manifests herself as all other goddesses.
Dhruva m HinduismMeans
"fixed, immovable, firm, stable" in Sanskrit, also referring to the North Star (Polaris). According to Hindu mythology this was a devotee of
Vishnu who became the North Star.
Diksha f HindiMeans
"preparation for a religious ceremony" in Sanskrit.
Dilipa m HinduismMeans
"protector of Delhi" from Sanskrit
दिल्ली (see
Delhi) combined with
प (pa) meaning "protecting". This is the name of several kings in Hindu texts.
Dinesh m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Nepali, SinhaleseModern form of
Dinesha.
Dinesha m HinduismMeans
"day lord" from Sanskrit
दिन (dina) meaning "day" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord". In Hindu texts this is used as a name of the sun.
Dipaka m HinduismMeans
"inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of
Kama, the Hindu god of love.
Draupadi f HinduismMeans
"daughter of Drupada" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the daughter of King Drupada. She married all of the Pandavas, the five sons of Pandu.
Drupada m HinduismMeans
"wooden pillar" or
"firm footed" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of a king of Panchala, the father of Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna.
Durga f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, TeluguMeans
"unattainable" in Sanskrit. Durga is a Hindu warrior goddess, the fierce, twelve-armed, three-eyed form of the wife of
Shiva. She is considered an incarnation of
Parvati.
Dushyanta m HinduismPossibly means
"destroyer of evil" in Sanskrit. In Hindu legend this is the name of a king who is the husband of
Shakuntala and the father of
Bharata.
Dyaus m HinduismFrom Sanskrit
द्यु (dyu) meaning
"sky", ultimately connected to the name of the Indo-European god *
Dyēws. In the
Rigveda he is the sky god, the consort of the earth goddess
Prithvi. He is also called
Dyaus Pita meaning "father sky". His name is cognate with other Indo-European theonyms such as Greek
Zeus and Latin
Jupiter.
Esha f HindiMeans
"desire, wish" in Sanskrit.
Ganesha m HinduismMeans
"lord of hordes" from Sanskrit
गण (gana) meaning "horde, multitude" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is the name of the Hindu god of wisdom and good luck, the son of
Shiva and
Parvati. He is often depicted as a stout man with the head of an elephant.
Gargi f Hinduism, Hindi, BengaliMeaning unknown. This was the name of a 7th-century BC Indian philosopher who appears in the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.
Gaurav m HindiDerived from Sanskrit
गौरव (gaurava) meaning
"importance, dignity".
Gautama m Sanskrit, BuddhismIn the case of Siddhartha Gautama, it was a patronymic form of
Gotama. Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the
Buddha, was the founder of Buddhism. He was a 6th-century BC nobleman who left his family in order to lead a life of meditation and poverty.
Gayatri f Hinduism, Marathi, HindiFrom Sanskrit
गायत्र (gayatra), which refers to a type of song or hymn with a particular meter. It is also the name of a Hindu goddess who is a personification of this song.
Girisha m HinduismMeans
"lord of the mountain" in Sanskrit. This is a name of the Hindu god
Shiva, given because of his abode in the Himalayan Mountains.
Gita 1 f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, NepaliMeans
"song" in Sanskrit. The word appears in the name of the
Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism (meaning "divine song").
Gohar f & m Persian, Armenian, UrduFrom Persian
گوهر (gohar) meaning
"jewel, gemstone". This name is typically feminine in Iran and Armenia, but masculine in Pakistan.
Gopala m HinduismMeans
"cow protector" from Sanskrit
गो (go) meaning "cow" and
पाल (pala) meaning "guard, protector". This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna. This name was also borne by the 8th-century founder of the Pala Empire in Bengal.
Gopinatha m HinduismMeans
"leader of the gopis" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, acquired because of his association with the gopis, who are cow-herding girls.
Gotama m HinduismMeans
"the best ox" from Sanskrit
गो (go) meaning "ox, cow" and
तम (tama) meaning "best". In Hindu texts this is the name of one of the Saptarshis, or seven sages. This name was also borne by an early Indian philosopher who wrote the Nyaya Sutras.
Gul m & f Urdu, PashtoMeans
"flower, rose" in Urdu and Pashto, ultimately from Persian.
Gulbadan f Urdu (Rare)Means
"having a body like a rose" in Persian. This was the name of a daughter of the Mughal emperor Babur.
Gulrukh f UrduMeans
"rose faced" in Persian. This was the name of a wife of the Mughal emperor Babur.
Hari m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, NepaliMeans
"brown, yellow, tawny" in Sanskrit, and by extension
"monkey, horse, lion". This is another name of the Hindu god
Vishnu, and sometimes of
Krishna. It is also borne by the son of the Garuda, the bird-like mount of Vishnu.
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, SanskritMeans
"happiness" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Hayat f & m Arabic, Persian, UrduMeans
"life" in Arabic, from
حيي (hayiya) meaning "to live". In Arabic and Persian it is a feminine name, while in Urdu it is masculine.
Ila f HindiMeans
"earth" or
"speech" in Sanskrit.
India f English, Spanish (Modern)From the name of the country, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit
सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel
Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.
Indie f English (Modern)Possibly a diminutive of
India or
Indiana, but also likely inspired by the term
indie, short for
independent, which is typically used to refer to media produced outside of the mainstream.
Indra m Hinduism, Hindi, NepaliMeans
"possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit
इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and
र (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain. He is the chief god in the
Rigveda.
Indrajit m Hinduism, Bengali, HindiMeans
"conqueror of Indra" from the name of the god
Indra combined with Sanskrit
जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering". In Hindu legend this is another name of Meghanada, the son of Ravana, the king of Sri Lanka. He was given this name by
Brahma after he defeated
Indra.
Indu f HindiMeans
"bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.
Iqra f UrduFrom Arabic
إقرا (iqra) meaning
"read, recite, confess". This is another name of the 96th chapter of the Quran.
Isha f & m Hindi, Marathi, HinduismMeans
"master, lord" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
ईशा and the masculine form
ईश (an epithet of the Hindu god
Shiva). It is also the name of one of the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.