Hindu parents take choosing a baby name very seriously, as religious traditions and family customs play an important part in the decision.
Choosing the right baby nameMany Hindu names are associated with gods and goddesses, or with divine qualities, and some babies are named in honour of family members. Names that represent strong character traits, mythological figures, aspects of nature and celestial objects are also popular. More recently, names of famous people have become common too.
The meaning of a name is very significant for Hindus. Parents often consult horoscopes to gain an insight into the kind of personality their baby will develop as she grows up. This helps them choose a name with an appropriate meaning that corresponds with a baby's Birth Star. To name your baby according to her Birth Star, use our BabyNamer. Select your baby's birth star to see the suitable starting syllables for a particular star. Click on a syllable and then click Submit to see a selection of names.
Naming ceremonyHindus often have a special ceremony for a newborn baby called the naamkaran sanskar naming ceremony, which is held at least 10 days after the birth and before their first birthday.
Lots of family members are present for the ceremony, and prayers are said to invoke the gods to bless the baby. Water is poured over the baby's forehead, and the father whispers the chosen name in the baby's right ear. Normally a baby is given just one formal first name, but sometimes an extra short name is given which the child will be called by.
20 popular Hindu baby names
|Aditi||boundless; mother of the gods|
|Ashia||life and hope|
|Chandra||moon; a name of moon goddess Devi|
|Deva||divine; after goddess Devi|
|Indira||splendid; a name of goddess Lakshmi|
|Kali||Hindu goddess of destruction|
|Kanyakumari||the virgin goddess|
|Lakshmi||goddess of wealth|
|Parvati||a goddess, the wife of Lord Shiva|
|Radha||success; name of Lord Krishna's love|
|Aditya||Lord of the sun|
|Arjun||one of the Pandava brothers|
|Ganesh||son of Lord Shiva|
|Govind||cowheard; a name of Lord Krishna|
|Mohandas||alluring; a servant of Moham|
|Narayan||a name of Lord Vishnu|
|Parthasarathy||charioteer of Lord Krishna|
|Pranav||the sacred syllable Om|
|Rahul||son of Lord Buddha|
|Ravi||god of the sun|
Still stuck for a baby name? Our BabyName Finder will help you find the perfect name. You can also use our baby naming tips for inspiration. Or discuss your name choice with other parents in our Pregnancy forum.
Last reviewed: January 2012