Hindu Names for Baby Girls

Whether you want to honor your culture and heritage or if you are in thrall of all things Indian, choose a Hindu name for your baby girl so that her name has a special meaning. Many Hindu families choose these names to ensure their children stay on the righteous path throughout life, as most Hindu names are the names of deities or have other religious significance. A common Hindu belief is that calling out a holy name constantly can bring you closer to “moshka,” or release the death and rebirth cycle.

Aarti

Aarti (pronounced AR-tee) is the name of a ritual in the Hindu religion in which two candle wicks are lit in honor of a Hindu diety. The ritual usually occurs a few times daily and can honor one god or several. The song sung during the ceremony is also known as “aarti.” The name means “toward the highest love of god” in Sanskrit, which is the language of classical Hinduism.

Amita

Amita is the feminine version of the boy’s name Amit. Although it sounds similar to Latin names that mean love and friendship and is identical to the Hebrew name that means truth, the Sanskrit name Amita actually means “infinite.”

Ishani

Ishani is another name for the goddess Durga, who is an incarnation of the goddess Devi, the mother goddess. The name Ishani means “the ruling goddess.” Durga was created by all the Hindu gods. Each part of her was a part of one of the gods. She was constructed to defeat evil demons who threatened to destroy the gods.

Kali

Kali is the name of the goddess of destruction, creation and preservation. The name is the feminine form of the word Kala, which means both time and black. Kala is another name for the god Shiva, who is known as the destroyer. Kali is yet another name for the goddess Durga.

Padma

If you are familiar with reality cooking shows, you’ve probably become familiar with the name Padma, as it is the first name of the hostess of a popular cooking contest. The name Padma means lotus or lotus-hued. It is one of the 108 names of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and beauty.

Rukmini

Rukmini, which is pronounced “ruk-mih-nee,” is another name for the goddess Lakshmi and the name of a princess who was the wife of Sri Krishna. The name means “adorned with gold” and comes from the Sanskrit words for golden

Chandra

Chandra, the Sanskrit word for moon, is another name for the goddess Lakshmi. It can also be a boy’s name and was the name of one of Krishna’s sons.

Uma

Uma is another name for the goddess Parvati, a mother goddess. The name means luminous. It’s also the name of a well-known American actress.