There is a popular saying, “You can take an Indian out of India, but not India out of an Indian”! There are many Indians who settled in other countries like America but still stay rooted in our culture and traditions. Especially when it comes to naming their babies, NRI’s prefer Indian origin names over western words. In this article, we shall look into the Top 50 Indian American Baby Names for girls and boys!
These unique Indian names found in the USA cover different religions and cultural backgrounds. Read along to find out more about each of these names with meanings, origin and symbolism (if any).
Top 50 Best Indian American Baby Names with Meanings
It’s a common misconception that Indian names are difficult to pronounce and spell in the Western world. But, these Indo American names prove it all wrong. They are improvised versions of the old-fashioned Indian names with an easy pronunciation key and impactful meanings.
Top 15 Indian American Baby Boy Names:
Here are 15 trending Indo American baby boy names which have anglicized spelling and pronunciation, without diluting the original meaning and symbolism of the word.
1. Aarav:
Aarav is a famous American Hindu baby boy name which means “peaceful” or a “person who is at peace”. It is pronounced as “ah-rav” and is derived from the Sanskrit language. The nicknames of this word can be “rav”, “aarvy”, or “ravvy”, and the variant spelling is “Arav”.
2. Dev:
Dev is a simple name for Indo American baby boys and is pronounced as “Dehv”. This Sanskrit derived word means “god-like”. Most Indian parents prefer this name for their male children, as it is easy to pronounce and read. The variant names are “Devan”, “Devin”, etc.
3. Neel:
The word “Neel has multiple meanings in different cultures. In the Indian context, it means “blue color”. This symbolically represents Lord Shiva, who is depicted as the Blue necked God because of poison. Neel is a short form for “Neelakant” and can also be spelt as “Neil”.
4. Samar:
Samar is a Sanskrit derived name which means “warrior”. The word is originated from an ancient Sanskrit manuscript called “SamaranganaSutradhara”, which talks about the various details and techniques of warfare. The American version of this name is “Sam” or “Sammy”.
5. Darsh:
Darsh is a traditional American Indian name for boys, which means “Lord Krishna”. The word is derived from the Sanskrit term “Darshan”, which means “to see”. As Krishna is omnipresent and has the power to see everything in the world, he is called “Darsh”.
6. Amit:
Amit is an Indian Hindu baby boy name which means “limitless”, “infinite”, or “boundless”. It is a modern variant of the Sanskrit word “Amitav”. That’s not all! Amit is one of the many names of Lord Ganesha, the elephant god.
7. Harsh:
Harsh is a North Indian name for boys in America. It is of Sanskrit origin, which means “happiness” or “joy”. The variant name is “Harsha”, and the female sibling’s name is “Harshi”.
See More: Surnames or Last Names in USA
8. Jatin:
Jatin is a Hindu name for baby boys, which means “the auspicious one”. It is derived from the name “Jatadhari”, which means “one who has matted hair” or, in short, Lord Shiva. Some of the American nicknames for Jatin can be “Jaty”, ” Jatkin”, etc.
9. Ayaan:
Ayaan is one of the popular American Indian male names which means “a gift of God” or “future”. It is an Urdu word and is used for naming Muslim boys. The variant names are “Aayan” and “Ahyan”. Interestingly, this is one of the trending names in North Indian communities as well.
10. Namir:
Namir is a Muslim baby boy name which means a “panther” or a “leopard”. It is derived from the Arabic language and is suitable for American Indians for its simple pronunciation and spelling.
11. Manit:
Manit is a Hindu boy name which means “highly respected” or “the one who wins the heart”. This name is trending on the charts in the list of American Indian names. The variant spellings are “Maneeth” and “Manith”.
12. Om:
One simply cannot go wrong with this single-syllable Indian name for baby boys! It is used as a short form for the “Omkara”, the sacred sound. The name is used by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, however, with different meanings and connotations. The variant names are “Omkar”, “Onkar”.
13. Varun:
The Varun is used as a contemporary version of the word “Varuna”, the Hindu God of the sky and seas. The actual name itself has multiple meanings like “intelligent”, “sensible”,” supreme”, etc. It is a 3-syllable word, and the variant names are “Varuna”, “Waruna”, and “Barun”.
14. Yash:
Yash is a stylish name for kids of Indian origin. It is derived from the Sanskrit word “Yashas”, which is associated with multiple meanings like “success”, “luxury”, “wealthy”, “fame”, etc. Another related name for Yash is “Yashwanth”.
15. Jai:
The word “Jai” is of Indian origin and derived from the Sanskrit language. It translates to “Victory” or “Victorious”. The name is often confused with the word “Jay”- a bird, due to similar pronunciation. This word can be used along with other names like “Jaidev”, “Jaideep”, etc.
Top 15 Indo American Baby Girl Names:
Here are the 15 best Indian names which sound American and fit in with both cultures. They are perfect examples of traditions mixed with modernity- just what you are looking for in your baby’s name:
16. Aanya:
Aanya is a Hindu Girl name which has multiple meanings like “Gracious”, “Amicable”, and “one who is different”. It is a short and cute name with 2.5 syllables. The simple spelling and easy readability make it one of the popular names for Indo American baby girls.
17. Eesha:
The word “Eesha” is derived from the Hindu goddess name “Eeshwari”, which means “Consort of Lord Shiva” or Parvati. The other meanings of Eesha are “Gift from God”, and “Purity”. The religious association and the contemporary spelling of this word make it apt for Indian origin girls.
18. Disha:
Disha is one of the top Indian girl names in the USA. It is derived from the Sanskrit language, which means “Direction”. There are two syllables in this word, and the male sibling’s name can be “Dishant”.
19. Gina:
Gina is an English sounding Indian name for baby girls. It has multiple meanings like “queen”, “pure”, “powerful woman”, etc. The name is often used as a short version of “Regina”, an Italian word for Queen.
20. Kajal:
Kajal is a beautiful name for girls of Indian origin. It is a Hindi word which translates to “Kohl” or “Eyeliner”. However, talking in terms of symbolism, Kajal is associated with talent, beauty and charm. The variants of this name are “Kajol” and “Kaajal”.
21. Urvi:
Urvi is a two-syllable Indian origin word which is one of the many names of “Mother Earth”. As per Hindu beliefs, this name is preferred for girls born in Vrishabharasi and KrithikaNakshtram as it has “U” as the common starting letter of the name.
22. Tisha:
Tisha is one of the most sought-after American Indian girl names. It has multiple meanings like “joy”, “happiness”, “strong willedness”, “Survivor”, etc. The common nicknames are “Tish”, and “Tiya”.
23. Riya:
The word “Riya” has origins in many cultures with different meanings. In the Indian context, this name is considered to be one of the many names of Goddess Parvati. The variant names of this word are “Ria”, and “Reya”, and the nickname is “Ri” or “Ray”.
24. Nirvi:
Nirvi is a sweet-sounding American Hindu girl name which means “bliss” or “liberation”. It is used as a female variant of the Sanskrit word “Nirvan”, which has the same meaning. This 3 syllable word is often chosen for girls born in Anuradha Nakshatra.
25. Myra:
Myra is an Indian name for baby girls derived from the Hindu language. It has multiple meanings like “sweet”, “an aristocratic lady”, “honey”, “admirable” etc. Interestingly, the word “Myra” is also found in the Greek language, which is the name of an aromatic shrub.
26. Keya:
Keya is a Bengali word which means “flower”. It is used as a first name for American Indian baby girls and has two syllables.
27. Ishita:
Ishita is a Sanskrit derived Indian name for girls which means “Master”, “One who is superior”. It is also one of the many names of Lord Durga, which comes from the word “Ishitva”. Some of the cute nicknames for this word are “Ishu”, “Isha”, “Ish”, etc.
28. Tanya:
The word “Tanya” is a Sanskrit originated word which means “Daughter”. The name also has multiple meanings in different cultures of the world. For instance, there is a Russian name “Tanya”, which is used as a short form for “Tatiana”, meaning a “fairy queen”. So, if you are looking for an Indian name with a global outlook, this may be ideal.
29. Zoya:
Zoya is a Muslim name for Indo American girls. The meaning of this word is “alive”, “affectionate”, “beautiful”, etc. It has origins in both Persian and Hindi languages.
30. Diya:
Diya is a Hindu girl name derived from the Sanskrit language. There are two meanings to this word – “lamp” or “shining light” and the other “deserving of gifts” as it comes from the word “Diy”, meaning “give. Some of its variant names are “Diyo”, “Divaa”, etc.
See More: Popular Indian Last Names
Top 5 Twin American Indian Baby Names:
Many parents prefer rhyming names for their twin babies. Both the names must sound alike or atleast have related meanings. Listed below are 5 Indo American names for twins:
31. Asha and Jisha:
If you have twin baby girls, naming them Asha and Jisha can sound really sweet. Both are Hindi origin names which have related meanings. Asha means “hope”, and Jisha means “a highly optimistic person” or “a person who has hope and passion for living”.
32. Divya and Navya:
This is another set of Rhyming names for Indo American twin baby girls. Divya and Navya, both have 5 letters, with “v-ya” as the common syllables. They originated from the Sanskrit language. The word “Divya” means Divine or Heavenly Brilliance, while the word “Navya” means “Young” and “Praiseworthy”.
33. Adin and Adil:
Adin and Adil are short and meaningful names for Indo American twin baby boys. They are usually preferred by people of North Indian and Muslim communities. The word “Adil” has many meanings, like “Sincere”, “Honest”, and “one who is fair and just”. “Adin”, on the other hand, means “one who gives pleasure and joy”.
34. Himir and Mihir:
If you are looking for a pair of catchy names for your twin boys, try Himir and Mihir. They are anagram names, which have opposite meanings. “Himir” means “cold” or “one who is calm”, and Mihir means “sun” or “person with authority and power”. Both words are derived from the Hindi language.
35. Amrit and Amrita:
Many parents prefer having similar sounding names for their twin kids. If you have a boy and girl child, the names “Amrit” and “Amrita” work quite well. Both the words are from the Sanskrit language and mean “elixir”, “immortal”, “ambrosia”, or “nectar”.
Top 5 Unisex Indo American Baby Names:
There are many Indian names which are suitable for both boys and girls. The gender-neutral meaning and pronunciation make them appropriate for either sex. Here are our Top 5 picks:
36. Aarya:
Aarya is a top Indian American name for both genders. It is of Sanskrit origin and translates to “a person with the noble character” or “the one who respects others”. The variant names are “Aria”, “Ariya”, or “Aryo”.
37. Geet:
Geet is an Indian name for girls and boys of Punjab and other North Indian communities. The Hindi origin word means “Song”. It becomes instantly popular after the character “Geet”, played by Kareena Kapoor in ‘Jab We Met”.
38. Kiran:
Kiran is a unisex name derived from the Sanskrit word “Kirana”, meaning “ray of light”. It is a Hindu name. Some of the Celebrities and famous people who have this name are Kiran Bedi, Kiran Kher, Kiran Kumar (male), and Kiran Powar (male).
39. Ishu:
Ishu is a Hindu unisex name which means “ray of light”, “beautiful person”. It is a 2 syllable word that is derived from the Hindi language and has a gender-neutral meaning.
40. Jiva:
Jiva is a modern Indian American name which means “life”. It is derived from the Sanskrit word “Jeev”, meaning “to live” or “to breathe”.
10 Native American Indian Baby Names:
Though our kids are of Indian origin, they are very much Americans. So, it makes perfect sense to choose a name inspired by the Native American culture. Here are the top 10 best names with meanings:
41. Chenoa:
Chenoa is an aboriginal American name for baby girls, which means a “dove”.
42. Kimi:
Kimi is a beautiful baby girl name which means “secret” in the Native American language.
43. Aponi:
Aponi is a native American word for “butterfuly” and can be used as a name for baby girls.
44. Imala:
The word “Imala” is of Native American origin, which means “a disciplinarian” or a “strong-minded person”.
45. Doba:
This is a simple-sounding name for baby girls, which means “no war”. It is originated from the native American language and is perfect in today’s times!
46. Elsu:
Elsu is a Native American baby boy name which means “a flying falcon”. Symbolically, it means to aim for the sky and scale new heights in life.
47. Jair:
Jair is a stylish-sounding name for baby boys derived from the aboriginal American language. It translates to “a person who shines in his life”.
48. Nova:
Nova is a popular name for baby boys which means “new”. It is perfect for those parents who are excited to unfurl a new chapter in their lives.
49. Powa:
The word “Powa” means “wealthy” or “luxury”. If you wish for your child to live a lavish life, this is the best one to name him!
50. Tyee:
Tyee pronounced as “Taiee”, is an aboriginal word which means “chief”. This name is more often used as a title for the lead of the tribal groups.
See More: Top Indian Celebrity Baby Names
Top 10 Indian Baby Names in the USA:
Indians and Americans both have had a significant impact on each other’s cultures throughout the years, we can see and understand this exchange of cultures from the names that have been passed on from each culture to the other, here are 10 famous Indian Origin American baby names,
- Sahil
- Anya
- Siddharth
- Aditi
- David
- Sophia
- Joseph
- Jennifer
- Lily
- Harry
Before picking one of these Indian American names for your baby, pay attention to some points. The name must be easy to pronounce for everyone at school, and should not have negative meanings or sound like an embarrassing term or word. Remember, it’s about your child’s identity in a different country than you were brought up in. So, make sure that the name brings joy and happiness instead of regrets in the long run!
Disclaimer: Some of the Indo-American names mentioned above might not suit the American context and can lead to different understanding or ways of pronunciation. It’s important to consider all the aspects thoroughly before selecting one of these baby names for your child.
