Indian Names
India has 22 official languages and dozens of naming traditions, so “Indian names” covers a huge range — from Sanskrit classics like Arjun and Priya to Tamil names such as Nila, Sikh names like Harpreet and surnames that reveal a region or community. What unites many of them is meaning: parents often choose a name for its virtue, a deity it honors or the sound of its first syllable, sometimes chosen with an astrologer’s guidance.
This guide introduces 70+ well-loved Indian names with their meanings. For deeper lists, see Indian girl names, Indian boy names and Indian last names. Families from neighboring cultures may also enjoy our Persian names.
Indian Names: browse all lists
Popular Indian girl names
Modern Indian parents love short, melodic Sanskrit names that also work abroad. Many more are on our Indian girl names page.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ananya | “Unique, without equal” | A top name in urban India |
| Aadhya | “First power” | A name of the goddess Durga |
| Diya | “Lamp” | Evokes Diwali lamps |
| Saanvi | A name of the goddess Lakshmi | Modern favorite |
| Priya | “Beloved, dear” | Classic and easy to say |
| Ishita | “Desired; mastery” | Soft and elegant |
| Kavya | “Poetry” | Literary |
| Meera | Possibly “ocean” | After the poet-saint Mirabai |
| Riya | Commonly “singer” or “graceful” | Short and popular |
| Aarohi | “Ascending musical scale” | From Indian classical music |
| Tara | “Star” | Works in many languages |
| Nisha | “Night” | Gentle and familiar |
| Pooja | “Worship, prayer” | A classic of the 1980s–90s |
| Isha | “Ruler, goddess” | Short and strong |
Popular Indian boy names
Aarav, Vihaan and Arjun have been among the most chosen names for baby boys in India in recent years. Browse more on our Indian boy names page.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Aarav | Commonly “peaceful, calm” | A modern chart-topper |
| Vihaan | “Dawn, morning” | Fresh and upbeat |
| Arjun | “Bright, shining” | Hero of the Mahabharata |
| Vivaan | Commonly “full of life” | Also linked to Krishna |
| Aditya | “Sun”; son of Aditi | Classic Vedic name |
| Reyansh | Modern coinage, often “ray of light” | Trendy in the 2010s |
| Ishaan | “Lord; the sun; northeast” | Associated with Shiva |
| Krishna | “Dark, black” | The beloved Hindu god |
| Rohan | “Ascending” | Also a name in English |
| Kabir | “Great” (Arabic) | After the 15th-century poet-saint |
| Dev | “God, divine” | Short and cross-cultural |
| Rahul | Meaning debated | Name of the Buddha’s son |
| Siddharth | “One who has achieved his goal” | Birth name of the Buddha |
| Aryan | “Noble” | Popular across North India |
| Nikhil | “Whole, complete” | Friendly and classic |
Names from Hindu mythology
Naming a child after a deity is a way to invoke blessings. These names appear throughout the epics and Puranas; our goddess names page covers divine women from other traditions too.
| Name | Who they are | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Lakshmi | Goddess of wealth and fortune | “Mark, sign; good fortune” |
| Saraswati | Goddess of knowledge, music and art | “She who has flowing water” |
| Parvati | Wife of Shiva | “Daughter of the mountain” |
| Durga | Warrior goddess | “Invincible, hard to reach” |
| Sita | Heroine of the Ramayana | “Furrow” |
| Radha | Beloved of Krishna | “Success, prosperity” |
| Ganga | Goddess of the Ganges River | “Swift-going” |
| Nandini | Divine wish-granting cow | “Daughter; one who delights” |
| Ram | Hero of the Ramayana | “Pleasing, charming” |
| Ganesh | Elephant-headed remover of obstacles | “Lord of the ganas (attendants)” |
| Surya | The sun god | “Sun” |
| Indra | King of the gods, lord of thunder | Possibly “mighty” |
| Kartik | God of war (Kartikeya) | Named for the Krittika stars (Pleiades) |
| Shiv | The Destroyer in the Hindu trinity | “Auspicious, kind” |
Sikh and Punjabi names
Most Sikh first names are unisex; boys add Singh (“lion”) and girls Kaur (“princess”). Many combine Har or Gur (God, Guru) with a virtue.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Harpreet | “Love of God” | Unisex |
| Gurpreet | “Love of the Guru” | Unisex |
| Jaspreet | “Love of praise” | Unisex |
| Manpreet | “Love of the heart” | Unisex |
| Simran | “Remembrance of God, meditation” | Mostly girls |
| Amrit | “Nectar of immortality” | Unisex |
| Harjit | “Victory of God” | Mostly boys |
| Navjot | “New light” | Unisex |
Regional Indian names
Names change with language. A few favorites from Tamil Nadu and Bengal show how different they can sound from the Sanskrit mainstream.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Nila | “Moon” | Tamil |
| Anbu | “Love” | Tamil |
| Malar | “Flower” | Tamil |
| Senthil | A name of the god Murugan | Tamil |
| Anirban | “Never extinguished” | Bengali |
| Mitali | “Friendship” | Bengali |
| Sourav | “Fragrance; glory” | Bengali |
| Rabindra | “Lord of the sun” | Bengali; after Rabindranath Tagore |
Common Indian surnames
An Indian surname often signals region, community or a historic occupation. More are explained on our Indian last names page.
| Surname | Meaning | Region / community |
|---|---|---|
| Sharma | “Joy, protection” | North India; Brahmin |
| Patel | “Village headman” | Gujarat |
| Singh | “Lion” | Sikh and Rajput |
| Kumar | “Prince, son” | Across North India |
| Gupta | “Protected” | Merchant communities |
| Reddy | Village chief or landholder | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Iyer | From a word for “respected master” | Tamil Brahmin |
| Nair | Traditionally a martial community title | Kerala |
| Das | “Servant (of God)” | Bengal, Odisha, Assam |
| Chatterjee | From Chattopadhyay, “teacher of Chatta village” | Bengali Brahmin |
| Joshi | “Astrologer” | Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttarakhand |
| Mehta | “Chief, accountant” | Gujarat, Punjab |
| Kapoor | Possibly “camphor” | Punjab |
| Rao | “King, chief” | South and West India |
| Khan | “Ruler, leader” | Indian Muslim families |
Tips for choosing an Indian name
- Check the meaning in several languages. A name that sounds lovely in Hindi may mean something else in Tamil or Bengali — ask relatives from both sides of the family.
- Consider the naming ceremony. Many Hindu families hold a namkaran around the 12th day after birth, sometimes choosing a first letter based on the baby’s birth star (nakshatra).
- Think about spelling abroad. Double vowels (Aarav, Aadhya) help with pronunciation but can confuse teachers; decide whether you prefer Aarav or Arav before registering.
- Short names travel well. Tara, Dev, Rohan and Maya are easy to say in any country while keeping their Indian roots.
- Explore neighboring traditions. Many names used by Indian Muslim families have Arabic or Persian roots — see our Muslim names page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular Indian baby names?
Recent favorites include Aarav, Vihaan, Vivaan, Arjun and Reyansh for boys, and Aadhya, Ananya, Saanvi, Diya and Kavya for girls.
Why do so many Indian names come from Sanskrit?
Sanskrit is the classical language of Hindu scripture and literature, so names of deities, virtues and nature words drawn from it are used across India, even in regions that speak other languages.
Do Indian names have to start with a particular letter?
Not necessarily, but many Hindu families consult the baby’s birth chart, which suggests auspicious starting syllables based on the nakshatra (lunar mansion) at the time of birth.
Why do many Indians share the surname Kumar or Singh?
Kumar (“prince”) is widely used as a middle name or surname across North India, and Singh (“lion”) is carried by all baptized Sikh men and many Rajputs, so both are extremely common.
What are Indian names that mean light?
Jyoti, Prakash, Roshni, Deepak, Diya and Kiran all relate to light or a lamp. See our names that mean light for more.