By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 10 pages
of 10
Hindi
"sun god"
Graceful Indian choice that may sound feminine to the Western ear but is in fact the name of a male god. One form of worship of Surya that may be familiar to Westerners is the sun salutation in yoga.
Hindi; Arabic
"lotus; perfect, perfection"
Kamal carries two positive associations: one of the ninety-nine qualities of Allah listed in the Quran and the evocative lotus flower. Americans might recognize it as the male equivalent of Kamala,…
"valorous"
Another traditional Indian name, best known here via novelist Vikram Seth.
Sanskrit, Hebrew
"light, peace, nation"
Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity. Uma is one of the more…
Sanskrit
"divine"
This Hindu goddess name has a powerful heritage plus lively sound with a devilish edge. If you're enchanted by goddess names but want to set your little girl apart from all the Lunas and Athenas in…
Korean; Hindi; Turkish; Arabic; Ewe
"this world's beauty or grace; army; to praise; bringing heaven to earth"
Sena is one of those names that is as obscure in the Western World as it is simple and straightforward. Sena exists as a name in a range of languages and cultures and may be pronounced like Senna…
"the earth"
An international take on Dara.
Hindi, Sanskrit
"sapphire blue"
A variation of Nila, a name spread through African by the substantial Indian population there. Also a variant of Neala and Neila.
Spelling variation of Aya or Hindi
"goat"
Sounds like and is often confused with Asia, though it has an air of retro cool via the seminal Steely Dan album. Or, pronounced eye-ah, it can be an alternate spelling of the international favorite…
"blue semiprecious stone, bird"
Interesting multi-cultural option.
Choctaw, English, Spanish, Hindi, or Kiswahili
"leaping waters; town; spear strength; mountain peak"
Tula is a multicultural name, linked to the names Tallulah, Gertrude, and Tullia, a mountain range in Antarctica, and to the Greek Toula, used for the heroine of the hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding…
"beauty"
A striking and feminine possibility associated with a modern hero — long-time Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi. It is also a significant choice within Hinduism, as it is used as an alternative…
"nebula, mist"
More unusual alternative to Tiara.
"basil"
Tulsi is more than a simple nature name: The holy basil plant is sacred in the Hindu religion, used to honor the god Vishnu and representative of his consort, the goddess Tulsi. The Tulsi plant is…
Kazakh, Persian, and Hindi
"pomegranate flower"
Anara is a name that strikes a perfect balance between simple and unusual. It's easy to understand and pronounce for a Westerner, and yet it's highly distinctive, used for only 24 girls in the US in…
Hindi, Hebrew
"queen; she is singing"
Rani, alternatively spelled Ranee, is the female equivalent of Raja in Hindi. In many Indo-Aryan languages it can mean "queen" or "lady". The Hebrew version is used for both genders in modern Israel.…
"triumphant"
Historic and popular Indian name, borne by the son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. On classic Hindu epics, it was the name of the charioteer of King Dhritarashtra; in the UK is was a character on…
"religious service"
Unlike Pamela and Melanie, Mela feels fresh and unusual.
"ether"
This Hindi name for the fifth element, related to the male Akash which means "open sky," was used by Anne Rice in her Vampire Chronicles .
Diminutive of Jennifer, variation of Gina, English, Arabic, "white wave; paradise"
"white wave; paradise"
Jena is a succinct name with a number of different roots, making it a versatile choice. On one hand, it might be used as a diminutive for the 70s favorite Jennifer, a name of Cornish origin that was…
