Compiled by The Mom Store editorial team. Meanings and origins reviewed October 2026. Read how we check content in our editorial policy.
A lot of the girls' names in Hindu families come from three places: the goddesses (Gauri, Aparna and Girija are all Parvati), the natural world (rivers, flowers, rain, the earth), and the Vedic and epic women whose stories are still told at home, like Gargi, Damayanti and Urmila. The list above covers all three, sorted by letter, with the meaning and the language each name comes from. Save the ones you like with the heart, then download the shortlist to send to family.
Names with a story behind them
Some of these names carry more than a dictionary meaning, and it helps to know the story before you choose. Gargi was a philosopher who questioned the sage Yajnavalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Urmila is Lakshmana's wife in the Ramayana, often remembered for the fourteen years she waited. Aparna means one who did not eat even a leaf, from Parvati's fast to win Shiva. Jahnavi is the Ganga, named after the sage Jahnu who swallowed the river and released her. Meera points to Mirabai, the sixteenth century poet who wrote her devotion to Krishna. Ask the grandparents which stories they know. That conversation is often how a name gets picked.
How the starting letter is chosen
If your family follows the nakshatra system, the first syllable comes from the moon's position at birth. Each of the 27 nakshatras has four padas, and each pada has a syllable. A baby born in the first pada of Rohini, for instance, gets a name starting with O, and the next padas give Va, Vi and Vu. The Rashi table on this page groups these syllables by moon sign. Many families use the nakshatra name only in prayers and choose a different name for everyday use, which is equally traditional.
Practical checks before you decide
- Spelling. Jahnavi and Janvi, Aaradhya and Aradhya: pick one and use it on the birth certificate, Aadhaar, passport and school forms.
- Popularity. Saanvi, Aadhya and Anaya are among the most chosen names of recent years. If you would like something less common, look at the letters further down the list.
- Pronunciation. Say it in your home language and in English. Names with soft dental sounds, like Dhriti, often get flattened outside India.
- Meaning in other languages. A quick search avoids surprises if the family lives abroad.
The naming ceremony and the birth certificate
The namkaran is traditionally held on the tenth or twelfth day after birth, though many families choose the 21st day or later. You do not need a name at the hospital: under Section 14 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, the name can be added to the birth record later. Most states allow this free within 12 months and up to 15 years with a late fee. Check the forms with your municipal registrar.
How we put this list together
Every name here is in regular use in Hindu families and is shown with its language of origin. Most are Sanskrit; a few, like Karishma, Khushi and Roshni, came into Hindi from Persian or Arabic long ago, and we say so. We removed names we could not trace to a clear root, spellings invented to fill letters like Q, X and Z, and names that belong to other traditions. A few letters are short because very few traditional names begin with them. Recent coinages, such as Aarvi and Prisha, are marked as modern.
If a meaning looks wrong to you, or you know a name that belongs here, tell us through the contact page.
Looking for boys' names? See our Hindu baby boy names with meanings. For girls' names that start with S, see our list of S names.
