More and more parents decide to give their children names that not only sound good but also have a nice meaning. Many Indian baby names are not complicated at all, yet are centuries old and carry a meaning that will stay with the child forever.
According to Indian tradition, baby names are not chosen from A to Z but rather by focusing on those letters that are considered auspicious; for boys, the letters S, A, R and V in particular. Though most consonants used in the names below follow Standard English pronunciation, vowel sounds vary and are pronounced according to the following brief guide:
- a is pronounced as in jar
- e as in lesson
- i is pronounced ee as in deer
- o as in bone but without moving the tongue or lips
- u is pronounced oo as in moon
Indian Baby Boy Names Starting with A
Many Indian names have Sanskrit origins and often are descriptions of the elements like sun, sky or ocean. Spelling variations are provided, with the more popular one listed first. Here is a list of Indian names for boys and their meanings:
- Aditya – sun
- Akash – sky
- Amar – forever, immortal
- Amit – endless, boundless
- Amol – priceless, valuable
- Arnav – ocean, sea
- Arun or Aroon – sun
- Ashok – without sorrow
- Atul – unmatched
- Avanish – god of the earth
Indian Baby Boy Names Starting with S
Other Indian boys’ names are taken from one of the famous Sanskrit epics like the Ramayana or the Mahabharata and often refer to favorite gods like Ram or Rama and Shiva. Note that the y in Surya is pronounced like eey: Sureeya.
- Sagar – sea, ocean
- Samir or Sameer – wind
- Samudra – sea
- Sankara – Shiva
- Shashee or Shashi – moon
- Shiv – auspicious, lucky
- Sohan – handsome
- Sudesha – good country
- Sumit – well measured
- Surya – sun
- Swagat – welcome
Indian Baby Boy Names Starting with R
Many Indian boys’ names describe qualities that refer to the nature of the child and are considered desirable like honesty, beauty or having a pleasant temperament. It is therefore not uncommon in India that parents wait a while before naming their child, so that they can choose a name that reflects the child’s personality best.
- Rahul – son of Buddha
- Raj or Rajan – king
- Rakesh – lord of the night
- Ram or Raman – pleasing, the god Ram
- Ranjan - pleasing
- Ravi – sun
- Ravikiran – sun ray
- Rishi – sage, ray of light
- Rupin – beauty
- Rujul – honest
Indian Baby Boy Names Starting with V
Interestingly, especially Indian baby boy names starting with V have meanings that go in the direct of being wise, brave, great or universal.
- Vandan – salutation
- Vasu – wealth
- Veer or Vir – brave
- Vidur – wise
- Vikas – development
- Vinod – full of joy
- Virat – very big, giant
- Vishal – great
- Vishva – earth, universe
- Vishvatma – universal soul
When choosing a name for a little boy, the above list of Indian names for boys is a good starting point for finding a name that is original and different, while also possessing a nice meaning that will stay with the child throughout his life.
Here is an article on Indian baby girl names and their beautiful meanings, and there are many more resources on Indian baby names on the Internet. For more information about mythological names, read about festivals like Holi that celebrate mythological events until the present day. Or what about learning how to make Indian chai?
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