Hindi First Names - FamilyEducation

India has a wide variety of baby names that are commonly used. Below are a couple of categories of names that are great choices for your little one. There are popular names and mythological names for each gender, as well as unisex names. We included some information on Hindi naming traditions and history as well.

History of Hindi First Names

Given names vary in India based on region and religion. There is a wide variety of languages spoken, therefore, many of the names chosen will differ based on what is spoken. Although there is not much to be said about the history, the traditions of naming a child are based on culture.

Naming Traditions in Hinduism 

Here are some examples of different Indian and Hindu cultures are how they choose baby names.

Bengali - Bengali names follow traditional practices, with first name, middle name, then surname.Gujarati - Gujarati names are a little different and the structure is the first name, father’s name, then surname.Kannada - In Northern Karnataka, the people follow the first name, father’s first name, then surname. In South Karnataka, they follow village name, father's name, personal name, then surname.Punjabi - Punjabi names are as follows; first name, religious name (“Singh” for boys and “Kaur” for girls), and then surname.

Popular Hindi Boy Names and Name Meanings 

1. Aryan - This popular Hindi name means “noble” and is also a surname used by an old civilization in India.
2. Devesh - This name is Hindi for “lord of the gods.” It is also one of the names of “Shiva” in the Hindu religion.
3. Ganesh - This Hindi name means “Lord Ganesh,” the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati.
4. Hiranya - This name is popular in both India and Pakistan. It means “wealth” or “gold.”
5. Ishaan - This is one of the names of “Lord Shiva” and is of Sanskrit origin.
6. Manu - In Sanskrit, this popular boy’s name means “thinking” or “wise.”
7. Vihaan - This is a Sanskrit name that means “the first ray of the sun” or “dawn.”
8. Vivaan - This Hindi name means “full of life” or “Lord Krishna.”

Hindi Boy Names in Hindu Mythology

1. Akshar - This Hindi name can be found in the Hindu religion and it means “imperishable.”
2. Brahma - “Brahma” is the Hindu God of the universe.
3. Indraj - This Sanskrit name means “son of Indra.”
4. Kailash - This name found in Hinduism means “one who bestows peace.”
5. Namish - This baby name of Hindu and Indian origin means “Lord Vishnu.”
6. Naishadh - This boy’s name of Hindi origin means “King Nala, a hero from the Mahabharata who was king of Nishadha.”
7. Surya - This Hindi name means “the sun.”
8. Virat - In Hindi, Indian, and Sanskrit this name means “majestic” or “brilliant.”

Popular Hindi Girl Names and Meanings

1. Aadhya - This is a common Hindi and Indian name that means “first power.”
2. Aarna - This is an Indian and Hindu name for the Goddess Lakshmi.
3. Arya - This is a name for the Hindi Goddess Parvati. It means “noble.”
4. Chandani - This girl’s name is of Indian and Sanskrit origin. It means “moonlight” or “river” and is popular in India.
5. Jeevika - This is a popular Hindi name that means “water, source of life.”
6. Nimrat - This Hindi name is also of Sikh and Punjabi origin and it means “humble and “one who carries God’s message.”
7. Priya - This Hindi name means “beloved” or “loved one.”
8. Sugati - This [popular Sanskrit baby girl name means “happiness” or “fortune.”

Hindi Girl Names in Hindu Mythology

1. Aditi - This is a Hindu name that means “mother of Gods.”
2. Bhargavi - This name is of Sanskrit and Indian origin. Its meaning is “beautiful” or is a name for Goddess Parvati.
3. Daksha - This name means “the earth” or “Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva” in Hindi.
4. Jayanthi - In the Hindi language, “Jayanthi” means “victory” and “Goddess Parvati.”
5. Kausalya - This name means “Lord Rama’s mother” in Hindi.
6. Shivani - This Hindi girl’s name means both “Goddess Durga” and “Goddess Parvati.”
7. Siya - This is the Hindi name for “Goddess Sita” and it also means “beautiful woman.”
8. Urmila - The meaning of this Hindi name for girls is “enchantress.”
9. Valli - This name means “creeper” in Hindi and “consort of Lord Muruga” in Sanskrit.

Hindi Unisex Names

1. Ashwany - This unisex name of Indian origin means “son of Lord Sun.”
2. Bivadi - This name is a place name. It is a variation of the city “Bhiwadi” in India.
3. Dinamani - This name is of Bengali, Indian, and Hindi origin. It means “jewel of the day” or ”the sun.”
4. Kinjal - This is a very popular Hindi name in India. It means “riverbank.”
5. Mahajan - This is an Indian and Bengali name that means “rich.”