Avani

A familiar name in India, Avani has a soft but spirited sound and an attractive meaning, perfect for lovers of nature and those looking for a name to celebrate the planet. Derived from the Sanskrit word for "earth", English speakers are likely to pronounce it with three syllables (UH-vah-nee), while in Hindi, it is said as AHV-nee and in Marathi as ah-VAH-nee.

V is currently one of the hottest letters a girl name can have — Olivia, Ava, Evelyn, and Ivy being notable examples — putting Avani right on trend. This gorgeous Hindi name first made the US Top 1000 back in 2023 and a recent year saw it in the latter end of the charts, given to around 260 girls.

A fast rising choice in England and Wales, ranking in the Top 600, Avani is notably borne by Paralympian Avani Lekhara, TikTok star and actress Avani Gregg, and one of India's first female combat pilots, Avani Chaturvedi. It rise in the UK also coincided with the introduction of the character Avani Nandra-Hart into the popular soap, Eastenders in 2023, which may have introduced the name to a wider audience.

Avani is also given to boys, where it ranks #8996 in the US.

Pronounced ah-VAH-nee.

As of October 2026, Avani ranked #8996 in US births in 2025 SSA.