Punjabi female names draw primarily from Punjabi and Sikh tradition, with elements of Sanskrit and Persian/Arabic. In Sikh naming, Kaur is used by women as a universal middle or surname. Many given names are unisex; female identity is often indicated by adding Kaur rather than by a distinct feminine suffix. Common structural elements include prefixes such as Gur-, Har-, Jas-, and Man-, and endings like -preet, -deep/-dip, -jeet, -leen, and -noor. Meanings frequently reference devotion, light, and virtue, often sourced from Gurbani vocabulary.

Contemporary practice records girls’ names as Given + Kaur, e.g., Gurpreet Kaur, Charanjit Kaur, Harjeet Kaur, Kanwaljeet Kaur, Manjeet Kaur, or single-word forms such as Harleen, Jasleen, and Heer. Short forms like Guri also occur. In India and the diaspora, Kaur may appear as a middle name or the legal surname, and spellings vary across documents.