Hindu given names draw heavily from Sanskrit and related Indo‑Aryan and Dravidian languages. Many are theophoric or devotional, using elements such as deva/devi, nath, -ish/-esh, -indra/-endra, -prasad, -prakash, -kumar/-kumari, -priya, -kant/-kanta, and -deep/-dip. Compound formations are common (for example Devendra, Srinivasa, Raghavendra), reflecting Sanskrit compounding patterns. Typical feminine endings include -a/‑ā, -i/‑ī, -lata, -mala, and -ika; masculine forms often end in -a, -esh, -endra, or -an. Phonological features include consonant clusters like kr, tr, and pr, retroflex consonants (ṭ, ḍ), and aspirated stops (kh, gh, bh), with long vowels sometimes marked in Latin script by doubled letters (aa, ee).
Sources of meaning include names and epithets from Hindu scriptures and theology, virtues (satya, dharma), and nature elements found in Sanskrit vocabulary. Forms vary by region and language, producing variants such as Krishna/Krishn/Krishan and Srinivasa/Sreenivasan. Modern usage shows a mix of classical Sanskritic compounds and shorter pan‑Indian forms, alongside spelling adaptations for English or regional scripts. There is no single uniform pattern across Hindu communities; patterns reflect regional languages and liturgical Sanskrit influence.
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nala | In Swahili: "gift" or "beloved"; in Sanskrit: name of a legendary king (Nala) and can mean "stem" or "reed". | Hindu, Sanskrit, Swahili | Girl | 3,603 #1 | |
| Ila | Often means "earth" or "speech"; name of a mythological figure (Ilā) in Hindu tradition. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 2,897 #2 | |
| Rudra | “The roarer” or “the fierce one” - a Vedic storm/deity name; an epithet of Lord Shiva. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 992 #3 | |
| Aditya | Sun; solar deity; son of Aditi | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 973 #4 | |
| Aditi | Boundless, free, limitless; in Hindu mythology, the mother of the gods (a Vedic goddess). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 847 #5 | |
| Om | Sacred primordial sound symbolizing the universe, ultimate reality (Brahman), and spiritual essence. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Unisex | 675 #6 | |
| Keshav | Epithet of Vishnu/Krishna, often interpreted as 'the one with beautiful hair' (also associated with slaying the demon Keshī). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 457 #7 | |
| Karthik | Name of the Hindu god Kartikeya (Murugan/Skanda), the god of war; 'son of Shiva' / 'warrior'. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 288 #8 | |
| Indra | King of the gods; god of thunder, lightning, storms and rain | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 279 #9 | |
| Radha | Beloved, worshipped; the consort of Krishna | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 232 #10 | |
| Kannan | Tamil form of Krishna - 'the beloved' or 'dark/comely one'. | Hindu, Tamil | Boy | 186 #11 | |
| Khaliya | Varies by origin: possibly 'vacant/empty' or related forms in Arabic; in South Asian contexts may link to Kālīya (mythological serpent) or to names meaning 'dark/black'; commonly used as a feminine given name with variable meanings. | Arabic, English, Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 178 #12 | |
| Kedar | Sanskrit: associated with a mountain/temple of Shiva; Hebrew: 'dark' or 'black' (name of an Ishmaelite tribe). | Hebrew, Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 74 #13 | |
| Daksha | Capable; competent; skilled; dexterous | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 68 #14 | |
| Harish | From Sanskrit, 'lord' or 'ruler'; commonly associated with the Hindu gods (e.g., Hari/Vishnu or Hara/Śiva) | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 67 #15 | |
| Narayan | Name of the Hindu god Vishnu; 'refuge of man' or 'abode of man'. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 64 #16 | |
| Kalki | Name of the prophesied tenth avatar of Vishnu; 'destroyer/remover of filth or impurity'. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 49 #17 | |
| Yami | Sanskrit: "twin" (the twin sister of Yama in Hindu myth); Japanese: "darkness." | Arabic, Hindu, Japanese, Sanskrit, Spanish | Girl | 40 #18 | |
| Mukund | Giver of liberation; an epithet of the god Vishnu (one who grants moksha) | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 35 #19 | |
| Katyayani | “Daughter of Katyayana”; name of the sixth form of the goddess Durga (a form of Shakti). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 31 #20 | |
| Ganesh | Lord of the ganas; remover of obstacles and patron of beginnings | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 17 #21 | |
| Parvati | Name of the Hindu goddess Parvati; literally 'she of the mountain' (daughter of the mountain). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 16 #22 | |
| Aparna | Leafless; epithet of the goddess Parvati, symbolizing extreme austerity (one who abstains even from leaves). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 15 #23 | |
| Hara | {'Greek': 'joy, happiness', 'Japanese': 'field, plain (from kanji 原)', 'Sanskrit/Hindu': 'the remover or seizer (epithet of Shiva)'} | Greek, Hindu, Japanese, Sanskrit | Unisex | 15 #24 | |
| Apsara | Celestial nymph; heavenly maiden - a divine dancer in Hindu and Buddhist mythology | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 12 #25 | |
| Srikrishna | Honorific 'Sri' + Krishna - 'Lord Krishna' or 'Resplendent/Prosperous Krishna'. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 12 #26 | |
| Ashwini | From the Ashvini Kumaras - twin Vedic gods associated with dawn, healing, and horses; 'belonging to the Ashvins' or 'dawn-born'. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 8 #27 | |
| Ashlesha | “The clinging one”; name of a Vedic lunar mansion (Ashlesha Nakshatra), associated with a serpent | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 5 #28 | |
| Atri | Name of a Vedic sage (rishi) in Hindu tradition | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 5 #29 | |
| Diti | A goddess in Hindu mythology; the mother of the Daityas (demons). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | 5 #30 | |
| Hrishikesh | Lord of the senses; a name of Lord Vishnu/Krishna (one who controls the senses). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 5 #31 | |
| Lava | Name of one of Rama's sons in the Ramayana; in Sanskrit contexts associated with 'Lava' (often interpreted as 'small' or 'little'); in English it also evokes molten rock. | English, Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | 5 #32 | |
| Abhyagni | Approaching or devoted to fire; near the sacred fire (Agni) | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | — | |
| Adhithiya | Sun; 'son of Aditi' (solar deity) | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Adytee | Likely derived from Aditya/Adityā - associated with the sun or 'child of Aditi' | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | — | |
| Agastiah | Name of a revered Vedic sage (rishi), associated with wisdom, learning and the spread of Vedic knowledge. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Agney | Derived from Agni (the Vedic god of fire); 'fiery', 'born of fire' or 'of fire' | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Ahalyaa | From Sanskrit Ahalyā - 'unploughed' or 'untouched', often interpreted as 'immaculate' or 'faultless'; name of the mythological wife of sage Gautama. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | — | |
| Airavata | Celestial white elephant - king of elephants and mount (vahana) of the god Indra. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Aiyappa | Name of the Hindu deity Ayyappa - son of Shiva and Mohini; regarded as a protector/guardian lord | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Ajamil | Uncertain - possibly 'beautiful' or 'handsome' (if related to Arabic Jamil/Ajmal) or linked to the Sanskrit mythological name Ajamila (meaning and story-based association). | Arabic, Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Akrur | 'not cruel' - kind, gentle; name of a devotee of Krishna in Hindu mythology | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Akrura | Not cruel; kind, gentle, harmless | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Anantakrishna | Eternal/Infinite Krishna (Lord Krishna who is endless) | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — | |
| Anasuyaa | Free from envy; without jealousy. Also the name of a devoted, chaste figure in Hindu mythology (wife of sage Atri). | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | — | |
| Annapoorna | Goddess of food and nourishment; 'giver of food' or 'full of food' | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | — | |
| Anusooya | Without envy; non-jealous; chaste and virtuous | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | — | |
| Anusuyya | Without envy; non-jealous; a devoted/virtuous woman (name of the mythological wife of sage Atri) | Hindu, Sanskrit | Girl | — | |
| Arumugavel | Six-faced one (epithet of the Hindu god Murugan), often associated with the vel (spear) | Hindu, Sanskrit, Tamil | Boy | — | |
| Ashwatthama | Name of a warrior from the Mahabharata; literally 'horse-strong' or 'possessor of horse-like strength/power'. | Hindu, Sanskrit | Boy | — |
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Hindu-origin name in our dataset.
