Indian Baby Names: Our Favourites for Girls and Boys (Origins and Meanings)

You rarely stumble on an Indian name by accident. Usually it happens while you're hunting for something else entirely - a name that feels a little different, soft on the ear but strong in meaning - and your eye simply lands on one. And then comes the lovely surprise: behind almost every name hides an image. A glowing little lamp, the ocean, the first light of dawn. It's as though, over there, no child is ever named without a tiny poem being tucked inside the name.

So if you're deep in the search for the perfect name, settle in for a moment: we've put together a selection of Indian names for girls and boys, each with its origin and meaning. Nothing invented, nothing forced. Just beautiful names, and the lovely little story hiding behind each one.

Why Indian names win so many parents over

India is practically a continent of its own, with thousands of years of history, sacred texts and languages behind it. The vast majority of these names draw their roots from Sanskrit, an ancient language in which almost every word is a small piece of poetry. Here, a name doesn't just sound pretty: it carries an intention, a wish that parents make for their child.

You'll find names that call to mind light, dawn, the sun, serenity, wisdom. As if, in choosing the name, you were already handing your baby a quiet promise of a gentle, luminous life. Add to that their melodic sounds, often easy to say in English, and you'll see why more and more families are falling for them, well beyond Indian culture itself.

Indian names for girls: softness and light

For girls, Indian names are often odes to nature, to beauty and to the goddesses. Many evoke light or water - two great symbols of life and renewal. Here are a few of our favourites:

• Aditi - "boundless, freedom". In tradition, this is the name of a mother goddess, a symbol of the infinite. A name that breathes space and grandeur.
• Priya - "beloved, dear one". It's hard to get more tender than that, isn't it? A little like naming your daughter "my love".
• Diya - "the little lamp, the light". Think of those tiny candles lit during Indian festivals. A soft flame glowing in the home.
• Mira (or Meera) - "the ocean". A name that speaks of vastness and calm, once carried by a beloved poet and mystic.
• Asha - "hope". Short, gentle, universal. A whole world in four letters.
• Kavya - "poetry, the poem". For parents who love words and the beauty of things.
• Nisha - "the night". A peaceful, mysterious name that suits babies born in the hush of the small hours.
• Devika - "the little goddess". A sweet nod to the girl who will, of course, become the queen of the household.
• Roshni - "radiance, brightness". A light stepping into the world.
• Aisha - "alive, full of life". A name that travels across cultures and sparkles with energy.

Is one already tucked away in the back of your mind? That's usually a good sign. And once you've found the name, there are a thousand ways to celebrate it: we love the idea of spelling out her name, letter by letter, in silicone alphabet beads on a pacifier clip. Watching those little beads line up to form "Diya" or "Mira" - that's the very first everyday object that truly carries her signature.

Indian names for boys: quiet strength and symbols

On the boys' side, Indian names often lean into light and serenity, with a generous helping of cosmic symbolism. The sun, the dawn, the stars... baby hasn't even opened his eyes yet, and he's already carrying a whole sky.

• Aarav - "peaceful, calm". A wonderfully gentle name that has soared in popularity in recent years. Perfect for a little one you hope will be serene.
• Vihaan - "dawn, the break of day". The idea of a fresh start, a blank page brimming with promise.
• Vivaan - "full of life". Says it all, really. A name that fizzes and makes you smile.
• Ishaan - "the sun, the master". Bright and steady all at once.
• Aditya - "the sun". Simple, radiant, warm as a summer morning.
• Arjun - a legendary hero of the great Hindu epics, this name evokes courage and loyalty. A true emblem of bravery.
• Rohan - "the one who rises, ascending". A name that climbs, that moves forward, full of momentum.
• Ravi - "the sun". Light again - clearly a theme these names hold dear. Short and beaming.
• Dhruv - "faithful, constant". It points to the North Star, the one that never moves and guides travellers home. A beautiful symbol of steadiness.
• Dev - "god, divine". Two syllables, an immense reach. Soft and easy to carry anywhere.

A short name like Dev or Ravi, a longer one like Aditya: there's no wrong choice, only the one that will make your heart flutter the first time you say it out loud, gazing down at your baby.

Names that tell of the sky, the light and the sacred

What strikes you, when you line all these names up, is their deep bond with nature and the spiritual. Light keeps returning - Diya the lamp, Roshni the radiance, Ravi and Aditya the sun - as if each child were being wished the power to brighten the world around them. It's a wonderfully poetic way to welcome a baby: telling them, right from their name, that they're a small, long-awaited light.

That symbolic layer isn't unique to India, of course. If you're drawn to names steeped in meaning and mythology, you'll almost certainly love wandering through our piece on Greek names and the myths behind them: you'll find the same wish to tie a child to something bigger than themselves. Two cultures, two worlds, the very same tenderness in the choosing of a name.

How to choose your Indian name well

Gut feeling aside, a few simple pointers help you land on the right one. First, say it out loud, several times, in different situations: whispered at night, called across the garden fifteen years from now, sitting next to your surname. A name is worn for a whole lifetime, so it may as well be a pleasure to say.

Think too about how it will settle into everyday life in an English-speaking country - at nursery, on the school register, at the doctor's. The good news is that plenty of Indian names slip in effortlessly: Maya, Mira, Rohan or Dev fit into any playground without a second glance. Finally, pick the spelling that speaks to you most - Mira or Meera, Aisha or Aeysha - because that's the one your little one will one day write, in their own careful hand.

And if you're still torn between two or three finalists? Let it rest for a few days. Often, one name quietly steps forward on its own, like a calm certainty. The day you say it without hesitation, hand resting on your bump or that brand-new little head, you'll know.

Once the name is chosen, celebrate it

Choosing the name is one of the very first gifts you give your child. So why not make a little occasion of it? A personalised pacifier clip that will never vanish under the pushchair again, a bodysuit with their name printed on the fabric, or even a newborn gift set personalised from top to toe with their name to mark baby's arrival in style: little touches like these turn a name into a keepsake.

Whichever Indian name has set your heart racing - Diya, Aarav, Mira or another - we hope this gentle wander through the meanings has brought you a little closer to the right one. There's no rush: the name that fits is often known by a small detail, that faint catch in your chest when you say it aloud with your hand on your bump. Trust it. It may already be here, somewhere on this list. 🤍