Many parents decide on giving their child a name that is not only special and sounds good but that also has a nice meaning. Indian baby names provide a real treasure trove of original yet centuries-old baby names that don’t have to be complicated and carry a meaning that will stay with the child throughout her life.
In India, rather than checking baby names from A to Z, it is common to focus on those starting with a letter that is considered auspicious; for girls, especially the letters A, S, M and P. Though the consonants in the names listed below mostly follow Standard English pronunciation, vowels can vary. Here’s a brief pronunciation guide for Indian names:
- a is pronounce open as in jar
- i is pronounced ee as in deer
- o is pronounced as in bone but without moving the tongue or lips
- u is pronounced oo as in moon
Indian Baby Girl Names Starting with A
Most Indian names have Sanskrit origins that go back hundreds of years. For girls, they often express virtues like happiness, beauty and grace. Here is the first list of Indian baby names for girls and their meanings. Spelling variations are provided with the more popular one(s) listed first.
- Aditi – mother of the gods
- Alka – lock of curly hair
- Amodini – happy girl
- Anita – grace
- Anandita – happy
- Anisha - continuous
- Anupama – unique
- Aruna or Aroona – dawn
- Asha - hope
- Avani - Earth
Indian Baby Girl Names Starting with S
Other popular themes for Indian girls’ names are the elements like water or river, earth and sun.
- Sahana – patience
- Salila – water
- Sangita or Sangeeta – song, music
- Sarita or Sareeta – river
- Savita – sun
- Shanti – peace
- Smita – smile
- Sonali – golden
- Sumana or Soomana – good natured
- Sushma – beautiful woman
Indian Baby Girl Names Starting with M
The famous Sanskrit epics like the Ramayana or the Mahabharata also provide inspiration for many Indian girls’ names as parents want their little daughters to be as attractive, smart or graceful as a goddess.
- Mahima or Maheema – greatness
- Mala – necklace, garland
- Malini – a river
- Manisha – goddess of mind, desire
- Manorama – attractive, beautiful
- Maya – illusion
- Meena or Mina – precious stone
- Mohini – most beautiful, bewitching
- Mythili – the goddess Seeta
Indian Baby Girl Names Starting with P
The meaning of other Indian baby names for girls seems simple at first, like lotus or the full moon, but they are symbols that convey a deeper meaning, often virtues like purity, fertility or kindness.
- Padma – lotus
- Padmini – lotus pond
- Paramita - wisdom
- Parinita or Parineeta - expert
- Pia - beloved
- Pratima – icon, idol
- Preeti, Prity or Preity – love
- Prita or Preeta - dear one
- Punam or Poonam – full moon
- Punita or Puneeta – pure, holy
Choosing a name for a little girl can be daunting but the above list of Indian baby girl names is a good starting point as it provides a choice of creative yet simple names with a beautiful meaning that will guide the child through life.
Here is an article on Indian baby boy names and their powerful meanings, and there are many more resources on Indian baby names on the Internet. For more information about mythological names, read about festivals like Diwali that celebrate mythological events until the present day. Or what about learning how to make Indian chai?
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