Indian Baby Names

A short but sweet name used among Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali speakers, Ritu comes from Sanskrit, and refers to a season or time period. Most literally, it translates to "order or course of things", and is used familiarly as a name (and a word) in India, though it could easily work globally too.
 
A notable bearer is actress Ritu Arya, who has starred in the soap opera Doctors, Humans and The Umbrella Academy

Ritu

Also used as a surname, Santra is both a Finnish and Greek form of Sandra, and a Hindi and Marathi name, meaning "orange", making it a multicultural choice that travels well. 
 
In the first instance, it derives from the classic Alexandra and would be pronounced SAN-tra in Finnish and san-DHRA in Greek (DH like the sound at the beginning of them>).
 
In the second — and more popular — case, Santra is an Indian name, ultimately derived from the Sanskrit santram, the Hindi and Marathi santre and the Urdu santari, all referring to oranges, as in the citrus fruit. In this case, it would be said as SUN-truh or SUN-tru

Santra

Yali is a unisex name most widely-used in Israel. The Israeli-British actress Yali Topol Margalith of Alice and Steve is one well-known bearer.

A yali is a South Indian folkloric and mythological creature that combines features of a lion, an elephant, and a horse.

Yali

Yali is a gender-neutral name most widely-used in Israel. The Israeli-British actress Yali Topol Margalith of Alice and Steve is the best-known bearer. A yali is a South Indian folkloric and mythological creature that combines the features of a lion, an elephant, and a horse.

A variation of Krishna, typically used by Marathi speakers, Krush is connected to Hindu tradition in which Krishna was the human incarnation of the god Vishnu and a supreme god in his own right, representing love, protection, and joy.

Krush

Notably used in Sri Lanka and India, Sampath is an aspirational name derived from sampatti meaning "success, prosperity, wealth" in Sanskrit. The name of a banking company, it has also been notably borne by actor Sampath Kumar (known by the stage name Vishnuvardhan), film director Sampath Nandi, and actor Sampath Raj.

Sampath

Derived from the Sanskrit element yaśas, Yashita is predominantly used in India and Mauritius. Associated with fame and glory, it is notably borne by singer-songwriter Yashita Sharma, and content creator Yashita Chandrashekhar. Yashi could make a charming short form.

Yashita

Bannerjee is a feminine name of Indian origin, specifically Bengali. It's a variant spelling of 'Banerjee' or 'Bandyopadhyay,' which is actually a Brahmin surname from the Bengal region of India. The name derives from 'banaj' meaning 'merchant' and 'adhyaya' meaning 'study,' historically referring to scholars who studied commerce. While traditionally a family name, Bannerjee has occasionally been adopted as a given name, particularly in Western contexts where the distinction between Indian surnames and first names isn't always recognized. As a feminine given name, it's quite uncommon but carries cultural richness and historical significance from the Indian subcontinent, representing intellectual heritage and scholarly traditions.

Bannerjee

Violet meets Naomi and Kyomi in this rare name that could be seen as a contemporary creation or a variation on an established celestial name. Appearing once in the US stats back in 2019, it blends sharp and sound sounds, modern and vintage, international and American-trendy. 
 
 if you consider Vyomi as a blend of Naomi and Violet/Vyolet, you could say it means "violet pleasantness", however, if you view it as an elaboration of the Gujarati and Sanskrit names Vyoma and Vyom, it would mean "space, sky, universe".

Vyomi

The masculine form of this name, Vyom, has ranked in the England and Wales Top 1000 in recent years, but this feminine variant is rarer. Derived ultimately from Sanskrit, it has the alluring meaning of "universe, sky, space, ether". 


Vyoma

Notably borne by actress Archana "Archie" Panjabi, Archana is ultimately derived from Sanskrit and is both a feminine name and the name of a Hindu ritual of honoring and reciting the name of the deities while laying offerings. 

Archana

A unisex name, ultimately from Sanskrit, Jaspreet blends the familiar sounds of Jasmin and Priti. Comprised of the elements yasas and priti, it could be interpreted as meaning "famous joy", "glorious love", "praise joy" or similar. 
Familiar in the UK where it ranked in the Top 1000 in 90s and 2000s, a notable bearer is film producer Jaspreet Kaur.

Jaspreet

Also spelled as Jaspreet, this name has the lovely meaning of "famous joy", "glorious love" or "praise joy and love". A unisex choice used fairly evenly across genders in India, one notable bearer is cricketer Jasprit Bumrah.

Jasprit

A unisex name, ultimately derived from Sanskrit, Jasprit combines the familiarity Priti and Jasmin into one name with a lovely meaning. Combining the elements yasas and priti, it could be interpreted as "famous joy", "glorious love", or "praise joy and love".
 
An alternative form is Jaspreet.

Matara is a major city in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka and a place considered significant to Buddhists, being the location of a number of temples, statues, and a sacred fig tree. The most literal meaning of the name is "the great ferry", though other interpretations include "the great crossing", "the great seaport", and "the great fortress".
 
Alternatively, Matara may be used as a variation of Matar, a unisex name which means "rain" in both Arabic and Hebrew.

Matara

A multicultural and unisex choice, Matara is both a variation of the Hebrew and Arabic Matar ("rain"), and a Sri Lankan place name ("the great ferry; the great crossing"). Used predominantly in India, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Chad, it is a rare name with an approachable feel.
 
From its Arabic and Hebrew roots, it has the cool weather and nature connection, while from its Sri Lankan connections, it is the name of a scared place for Buddhists.

Rupin is one of those names that is virtually unknown in the Western world and yet is easily translated because it feels so familiar -- parts Rupert, Robin, and Reuben.  A handsome choice.

Rupin

Possibly a Bosnian variation of the multicultural Ayra, a name that means "respectable, awe-inspiring" or "noble" in Sanskrit. It might also be connected to the Finnish Airi or Aira, meaning "messenger", the English Aire or Aira meaning "air", the Lithuanian Airė, which is a river name, and the Arabic Ayrah meaning "vision" or "without an owner", or the Arabic Khayra meaning "good deeds". 

Ajra

A beautiful name of Sanskrit origin, Trishna blends strong and gentle sounds. The name literally means "thirst" in Sanskrit, but can be interpreted as relating to longing and aspiration and with a desire for life and knowledge.
 
A notable bearer is the singer Trishna Gurung.

Trishna

In 2025, Elon Musk revealed that one of his sons with his partner Shivon Zilis has the middle name Sekhar, chosen to honor Zilis's Indian heritage and to celebrate the Indian-American physicist, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. 
 
Sekhar itself is a variation of the Sanskrit Shekhar, used predominantly by Bengali and Telugu speakers. It derives from the word śekhara, meaning "crest, crown, peak". As such, it might be used to evoke royalty or a sense of being unrivalled or exceptional; alternatively it may evoke the idea of mountains, making it an alternative to Summit or Everest.
 
The name can be pronounced as sheh-kahr in Bengali or seh-kahr in Telegu.

Sekhar

Most Indian names known in the wider world derive from either Hindi, the dominant language of India, or Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language. The Indian names on Nameberry also include a sprinkling of Punjabi and Urdu names.

Indian baby names that are most familiar around the world are usually the names of celebrities, such as Dev Patel or Priyanka Chopra. Some Indian names have become known internationally thanks to the popularity of Eastern religions such as Buddhism.

that rank in the US Top 1000 include Lila, Arya, Kali, and Veda.

 that rank in the US Top 1000 include Arjun, Aarav, Vihaan, and Rohan.

Browse our full list of Indian baby names here. The names are ranked according to their current popularity on Nameberry.

Indian names including Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu,and Punjabi names, with meanings, origins, and popularity, including Indian names for girls and Indian names for boys. (Page 16)

Indian Names