India is one of the most diverse countries in the world. So when it comes to choosing baby names, the options seem limitless. In India, baby names get drawn from Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian cultures. That means multiple different origins and meanings. The number of beautiful options may seem overwhelming, but for parents looking for baby girl names that tie into Indian culture, and still feel modern, this means they'll always have something unique and interesting to consider.
In Indian culture, many baby names are derived from something special and meaningful. When it comes to daughters, sometimes parents will use names that have been in the family for several generations. Other times, they will use a baby girl's astrological sign to give her a name that corresponds to the constellation she was born under. Many Indian baby girls are also given names that are derived from Hindu goddesses or other significant figures from predominant religions.
For parents looking to give their baby girls names with deep meaning and tradition behind them — that are also a good fit for modern times — the 40 monikers on this list provide the perfect balance of new trends and traditional beauty. They range in everything from origin to religion to their meanings, but every single one of them is incredibly beautiful, immensely inspiring, and absolutely perfect for a precious baby girl.
Wishi
Wishi is just as fresh and quirky as it is traditional. In Hindi, it means to "fulfill a wish," making it pretty on the nose as far as baby names go.
Aarna
Aarna is a Hindu name that is directly related to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity, which makes this name the perfect good luck charm.
Aditi
The Sanskrit origins of the name Aditi mean "boundless" or "freedom and security." The name also happens to belong to the Hindu goddess of the sky and fertility. While it's never ranked as one of the most popular names in the United States, it is incredibly popular in India.
Daya
Another one that's short but still meaningful, Daya is a Hindi name that simply translates to "kindness" and "compassion." While it is popular in India, It hasn't become super common in America, which also makes it unique.
Amara
Divya
Another name with Hindu origins, Divya translates to "divine." While Divya is short and simple, it's absolutely perfect for parents looking to give their little girls spirituality-based names.
Eesha
Eesha is an Indian name with Muslim origins. In the Quran, it means "life" and "alive." It isn't very popular in the United States, but it is a common name among practitioners of the Muslim faith.
Amita
Amita is the feminine version of the name Amit. In Sanskrit, it translates to mean "limitless" and "unmeasurable." The name is typically used by Hindus but hasn't made itself well-known in the US yet.
Adya
While the name Adya has origins in Sanskrit, it is mostly used by Hindu parents. Its most widely known meanings are "the first" and "Mother Earth," which makes Adya perfect for firstborn daughters.
Indu
Indu is a name that isn't known to be super popular in the US or in India, but it does have a pretty amazing meaning. Translating to "moon" in Hindi, it has a really magical flair.
Asha
Another moniker rooted in many different cultures, Asha comes from the Sanskrit word for "hope" and "desire." The short, simple name has such a beautiful meaning, which means its ranking as one of the top 100 girls' names in the US in the '90s makes perfect sense.
Jiya
Used in both India and Nepal, Jiya means "living" in Sanskrit. The name is used often in India and sometimes spelled Jiah.
Rani
Rani is a name of Hindu origins that is also spelled Ranee. Many believe it to be the feminine version of the popular boys' name Raja. Rani directly translates to mean "she is singing," making it especially light and joyful.
Deepika
Deepika is is a Hindi name that has Sanskrit origins. Thanks to the actress Deepika Chopra, it's become more widely known in the States. It means "light" or "lantern" in Hindi, and is thought of as being super feminine.
Jaya
For any folks looking to outfit their baby girl with a strong name, Jaya is perfect. It means "victorious one" in both Hindi and Sanskrit and also happens to be the name of a Buddhist deity.
Aisha
The name Aisha is present in many cultures, but when used amongst Indian Muslims, it means "alive." It's also gotten pretty popular in America too, peaking on the top 100 girls' name list in 2014.
Giva
Kaveri
Kaveri is a girls' name taken from the name of a river that flows through the country of India. It is thought of as the modern version of the name Cauvery.
Mallika
Indira
This Indian name bears a striking resemblance to its origin country, which makes it super desirable. That, coupled with the fact that Indira mean means "beauty" in Sanskrit, makes it perfect for little girls.
Anju
Beautifully pronounced AHN-joo, Anju means "an honor" in Hindi. It is thought of as the shorter version of other girl names like Anjali and Anjana. The name hasn't made its way on any popularity lists in the US yet, but it's definitely a well-loved name.
Shanti
Arya
The name Arya may be recognizable to many as a popular Game of Thrones character, but it's a name firmly rooted in Indian origins. Arya means "noble goddess" in Hindi and appeared on the top 100 list of baby girl names in the US for the first time in 2007.
Leela
It may be similar to American names like Leila and Lila, but Leela has deep Indian roots. It means "play" in Sanskrit and "dark beauty" in Arabic. These meanings make it a great choice for both Hindu and Muslim parents.
Manisha
Manisha is the Hindu goddess of the mind. When given to young girls, the name is meant to be a symbol of intelligence.
Kirsi
The name Kirsi sounds a little like the American name Kirstie. But don't let the similarities fool you; Kirsi is a Hindu name that translates to mean "amaranth blossoms" — a type of flower that grows in India. It hasn't quite made its way to the US yet, but it is quite popular in Finland.
Avani
Kamala
Padma
The name Padma is just one of the 108 names given to the goddess Lakshmi according to Hindu legend. Obviously, this makes it a very popular moniker in India. Like the name Kamala, it translates to mean "lotus."
Veda
Veda translates to mean "knowledge" and is drawn from the Vedas, which are one of the most sacred texts in the Hindu religion. It hasn't been popular in the US in recent years, but it did peak as one of the 1,000 most popular US girls' name here in the 20th century.
Lata
Lata simply means "a vine" in Hindi. While beautiful, the name isn't incredibly common in the US or in India, but that only makes it more unique.
Saniya
The name Saniya is a spelling variation of the name Sania, both of which are pronounced SAHN-ya and mean "pearl" in Hindi. The name peaked in popularity in the US in 2007.
Shifa
Used by both Hindu and Muslim parents, Shifa is a sweet girls' name that means "truthful" and "friend." Not much is known about its origins, and it isn't super popular, but it's still a very beautiful name.
Priya
Meeta
Often used by both Hindus and Sikhs in India, Meeta translates to mean both "friend" and "good behavior." Naturally, this meaning makes it popular with parents who want their daughters to be nice people.
Vina
The name Vina has its origins in America, Scotland, and Spain as well as India. In Hindi, it means "stringed instrument." That may not be the most romantic translation out there, but it doesn't make the name any less beautiful.
Riya
In Sanskrit, the name Riya means "singer." While the name isn't super popular in its origin country of India, it is well used among Indian-American parents. It even managed to make the list of top 100 baby girl names in the US in 2008.
Mina
Mina is another name that is recognizable the world over. While it is often short for Whilemina in Western countries, it means "precious blue stone" in Hindi. Many Indian parents also directly associate the name Mina with the astrological sign Pisces.
Shivani
Meaning "Wife of Lord Shiva," Shivani is another name for the goddess Pavarti. With Pavarti being the goddess of love and beauty, this name has an incredibly strong, spiritual meaning.
