Awesome Indian Names

Lila is one of the girl names with a double l sound — Lila, Lola, Layla, Leila, Lily et al — that have caught on in a major way., Delicate yet dynamic, Lila has a slightly international flair.

Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.

Despite a rich history in Irish myth preceding its plantation appearance in Gone with the Wind, widespread use in the seventies caused Tara to lose its Irish accent.

A name with religious resonance, as the Vedas are the most sacred texts of Hinduism. Outside of that religious context, Veda has the makings of a modern popular name, with its sharp V initial, two syllables, and feminine a ending. This is evidenced by it reentry into the US Top 1000 in 2015, after fifty-five years off the list. Similar names on the rise are Vera and Vada.

Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s, all baby names Ash-related have been used in the U.S. for both girls and boys, from Ashlyn to Ashby, Ashton to Asher. Despite its separate roots, Asha is part of this group.

This pretty, succinct Arabic name is also commonly used as a nickname for names like Carolina.

A striking and feminine possibility associated with a modern hero — longtime Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Arya was derived from an Indo-Iranian word meaning "Aryan" or "noble." It is a masculine given name in Iran, Indonesia, Bali, and Sanskrit-speaking regions of India. In Hindu- and English-speaking parts of the world, Arya is more often a feminine name, the latter influenced by the similar Italian name Aria, meaning "air" or "song."

Priya originated in India as a name derived from the Sanskrit word for "beloved." In India, where names are often given based on one’s birthday and horoscope, Priya is traditionally given to girls born in August. Priya is used in Hindu mythology as the name of a daughter of King Daksha—known for fathering 146 daughters.

Kali is a number of different things: a playful, contemporary twist on the name Callie; the Hindu goddess of destruction; an alternative spelling for Kaylee; a short form of the Arablic Kalila, the Greek Kalista, or the African American Kaliyah; a masculine name in India; and a trendy form of Kali(fornia).

Pretty name that hit the popularity charts in England in the late 1990s.

While Leela may be a spelling variation of Lila or Leila, it's also an Indian name in its own right with a playful meaning. And unlike it's more popular Western sisters, Leela does not create pronunciation confusion.

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. Actress Kate Hudson and director Danny Fujikawa named their daughter Rani after Fujikawa's late father, whose name was Ron.

A variation of Nila, a name spread through African by the substantial Indian population there. Also a variant of Neala and Neila.

Pronounced like Jay, this short name is popular in South Asia and makes for a great English-South Asian crossover choice, used regularly in the UK and Australia. It can also be an alternate spelling of the English name Jay, either short for a J name or deriving from the name of the bird.

This name has recently come on the radar via rising actor Dev Patel, who made his mark in Slumdog Millionaire and then in Lion and is also the name of the lead character played by Aziz Ansari in his sitcom Master of None. It could catch on here, at a time when parents are importing other three-letter names like Liv.

Meera Bai, also spelled Mirabai, was a great female Hindu mystical poet whose works are popular throughout India. She was a fifteenth-sixteenth century Indian princess who devoted her life to writing paeans of devotion to the god Krishna.

The story of Meera was the basis of an eponymous Indian historical drama television series in 2009. It's also gotten a boost from HBO's Game of Thrones, in which Meera Reed is a tough, wise character who cares for the disabled seer Bran Stark once he flees Winterfell.

Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.

Chandra is the name of the Hindu moon goddess last groovy when incense and meditation were hot new concepts but a new possibility with the resurgence of astrology and other non-Western spiritual beliefs.