Popular Indian Baby Names -- But Really, What's In a Name?
Updated: Aug 4
Of all the things modern would-be parents can stress over – is the $300 bassinet just as good as the cheaper one? Is a wipe warmer really necessary? And what his this contraption that supposedly sucks my infant’s snot out of her nose? – one of the most fret-inducing is choosing a name. It’s the first thing your baby will identify with and it’s something they’ll hold on to forever.
Baby names can be a particular challenge for American parents who come from a different culture. While my husband and I both are of South Asian descent, his family is Catholic, so he was named Matthew – the 13th most-common name in the US in the past 100 years. I can guarantee you that my name, Avani, has never made the list.
So when we found out we were expecting our son, this proved to be a challenge. Matt wanted an Americanized name – after all, he grew up with an easily-pronounceable name that didn’t require a lot of “wait, what is it? How do you spell it? Can you say it again?” Despite desperately wanting my name to be Ashley growing up, as an adult, I appreciate my name for what it is: Unique, rich in meaning and a tie to the motherland.
There are pros and cons to both, of course. There are studies going back 70 years that have shown unusual names could have a negative effect on employment and socio-economic status. And a more traditional name can still be rich in meaning.
In the end, Matt and I settled for what we consider a happy compromise. Matt liked the names Lucas and Liam – the 3rd and 4th most popular baby boy names in the US in 2016, the year our son was born. Sometime during my months of painstaking research of “easy to pronounce Indian baby names” (literally what I typed into Google), I’d come across the name Niam. It means “rule” or “contribution of god,” in Sanskrit and it puts an Indian twist on a very familiar name. It was settled.
Looking for an easily-pronounceable but still meaningful name? Below are some of the top trending Indian baby names. We asked our followers on Instagram to share their kids' names. Hope this list helps inspire you!
Indian Girl Names
Aadhavi
Aadya
Aana
Aanya
Aaradhya
Aarna
Aarya
Aashni
Aashni
Aashvi
Aasta
Aavya
Adya
Ahaana
Ahara
Akhila
Alani
Alia
Alina
Alyssandra
Amara
Amaya
Amira
Amruta
Amulya
Ananya
Anavi
Anaya
Angeli
Anika / Annika
Aniya
Anjana
Anjaneya
Anokhi
Anushka
Anya
Aria / Arya
Ariana
Arshika
Arti
Aryanna
Ashiyana
Atharva
Ava / Ayva
Avani / Avni
Avika
Ayla
Ayona
Bella
Bunsee
Caara
Calisi
Daxya
Devina
Dia / Diya / Deeya
Divya
Divyata
Driti
Eesha
Elayna
Ellie
Emma
Eshika
Evani
Gael
Gita
Haanvi
Harvika
Iksha
Imaara
Ivana
Jaanvi / Jahnvi
Jaina
Jasmine / Jazmyn
Jia
Jiva
Jivika
Jiyana
Julian
Juliana
Kaavya
Kaiya
Kaliana
Kalyani
Kara
Kareena / Karina
Karishma
Karuna
Kateri
Kavi
Kaya
Khevna
Khushi
Kiara
Kieran
Kiki
Kimaya
Kiyana
Kreya
Krishika
Kuleena
Kyra
Lakshmi
Lavanya
Layla
Leah
Leela
Leyanah
Lila
Lily
Liya
Maahi
Maanya
Madhu
Maeva
Mahira
Maleah
Manya
Maya
Mayuri
Meena
Meera
Meher
Menghani
Mia
Mila
Milani
Mira
Misha
Mishka
Myra
Naavi
Naaya
Navina
Navya
Naavya
Neeyah
Nevaeh
Nihira
Nila
Nina
Nirvi
Nyra
Oviya
Pari
Parvathi
Prisha
Pritha
Priya
Raavya
Radha
Rahi
Rahi
Rashi
Raya
Ria
Risha
Riya
Roja
Ruhi
Saanvi / Sanvi / Shanvi
Saanya
Sahaana
Sahasra
Saira
Saisha
Saiya
Sajani
Samyra
Sana
Sanjana
Sara
Sarina
Sasha
Satya
Saya
Serena
Shailee
Shanaya
Shanika
Shaurya
Shivaaya
Shivani
Shomili
Shreya
Shriya
Sia
Sitara
Siya
Siyani
Smaya
Sonia
Sophia
Srika
Suhani
Suhasini
Sunaina
Suri
Swaha
Swara
Tashi
Uma
Vaani
Vainavi
Valerie
Veda
Veeksha
Veena
Velanie
Vianna
Vishyalii
Yashvi
Zara
Zarina
Ziya
Zoha
Zoya
Zunaira
Indian Boy Names
Aaditya
Aajay
Aanand
Aarav
Aari
Aarin
Aarnav
Aarush
Aaryan / Ariyan
Aash
Abhi
Adi
Agastya
Ahan
Aiden
Ajay
Akash
Akheel
Akshay
Amay
Anand
Anay
Andal
Angad
Anil
Ansh
Anveer
Ari
Arin
Arjun
Arlo
Armaan
Arnav
Arran
Arsh
Arun
Arvin
Aryan
Asher
Atharv
Aum
Avi
Avik
Avyu
Ayan / Aayan / Ayaan
Ayden
Bishaul
Bodhi
Brendan
Charit
Daksh
Darsheet
Dev
Deva
Devyn
Dhevan
Dhiyaan
Dylan
Eshaan / Ishaan
Guhan
Hari
Harsh
Indra
Irvan
Ishaan
Ivaan
Ivan
Jace
Jai
Jaiden / Jayden
Jaiman
Jaiyan / Jayan
Jayson
Jayvyn
Jegan
Jeschan
Jiyaan
Kabir
Kahan
Kai
Kaiden / Kayden
Kailash
Kairav
Kalai
Karam
Karthik
Karyav
Kaveh
Kavish
Kayden
Kayleb
Kayshar
Keshav
Khrishna
Kiaan / Kian / Kiyaan
Kiansh
Kieran
Kishen / Kishan
Krish
Krishna
Kriyan
Kush
Laksh
Leo
Liam
Maahir
Maanav
Mason
Milan
Mivaan
Mohan
Moksh
Moksha
Nayan
Neel / Neil
Neeraj
Neev
Nevaan / Nivaan
Niam / Niyam
Nihaan
Nihal
Nihit
Nikhail
Nikhil
Nirmay
Nishan
Nitin
Niyan
Nolan
Nyle Avir
Ohm
Ovi
Pavan
Priyam
Rae
Rajiv
Rajveer
Rana
Ranveer
Rayan / Rehaan
Remy
Revaan
Reyaan
Reyansh
Ridaan
Ridhaan
Rihaan
Rio
Rishaal
Rishaan
Rishi
Rishiv
Rishvin
Rithvik
Riyan
Rohan
Rohan
Rudra
Rumi
Saagar
Saahil
Sachin
Sahan
Sahil
Sai
Sai Prem
Sajan
Samardh
Samay
Sammy
Sayaan
Sean
Sebastian
Seshan
Shaan
Shankar
Shanmukh
Shay
Shayan
Shaylan
Shikhar
Shrey
Sid
Siddh
Sidhan
Sohum
Solan
Sujnuj
Syan
Tegh
Tej
Vadyar
Vallabh
Vardaan
Ved / Vedh
Veer
Vibhor
Vihaan
Vikram
Vimal
Viraat
Viraj
Virat / Viraat
Vishruth
Vivaan
Viyansh
Vyom
Xaiden
Xoel
Yash
Yuva
Yuvaan
Zain
Zayn
Ziaan
Avani Nadkarni is a former journalist who currently works in tech PR and is forever navigating the tricky balance of trying to raise her child in the U.S. while teaching him about his Indian and Sri Lankan roots.
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