Indian boy names carry more information than most: a Sanskrit root, a deity, a season, a gemstone, sometimes several at once. That density is the appeal, and it is also what makes picking one hard.
The 105 names below each come with an origin, a meaning and a plain phonetic pronunciation, plus the alternate spellings, a namesake and a popularity figure wherever a real one exists. Some are so rare that fewer than ten people worldwide carry them. One of them, Bodhi, sits inside the US top 300.
Skim for a sound you like first, then read what it means. When both land, you have found your shortlist.
105 Cute Indian Names for Boys
Every entry below carries the name’s origin, meaning, and a plain pronunciation, ordered A to Z.
Aadhavan
Aadhavan holds one of the warmest images on this whole list, the sun and the brilliance that pours off it, and it works as an epithet for Lord Vishnu at the same time. Written down it looks long, but it breaks into three clean beats, AAD-aa-van, so it stops getting mangled after the first introduction. South Indian families reach for it far more often than northern ones, which gives it a regional character without making it hard to place. Aadhi is the short form most boys end up answering to at school.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Sun, brilliant like the sun, Lord Vishnu
- Pronunciation: AAD-aa-van
- Variations: Aadavan
- Namesakes: Aadhavan is an anchor and mimicry artist who works in Adithya TV, best known for the show Konjam Nadinga Boss.
- Popularity: In 2020, there were only 5 baby boys named Aadhavan.
Adbhuta
Adbhuta is the kind of name you will almost never meet outside India, and even there it stays scarce. It carries the sense of a marvel or a miracle, which is not a small thing to hand a child. Ahd-BHU-taa takes a beat of practice for English speakers, so expect to say it twice at the pediatrician’s desk. For parents willing to make that trade, it is a genuinely cool name with almost no competition.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Wonderful God, miraculous, marvel
- Pronunciation: Ahd-BHU-taa
Advit
Advit means matchless, and it is one of the rare cases where the name and its own rarity say the same thing. A soft opening and a hard stop at the end let it sit comfortably next to short Western first names without disappearing into them. Advik is the far more common cousin, so be ready for people to reach for that spelling by reflex. Families who want a Hindi name that reads modern rather than devotional tend to land here.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Unique, exclusive, unequaled, matchless
- Pronunciation: Uh-DUH-viht
- Variations: Advi, Advik
- Popularity: In 2014, only 81 people were named Advit worldwide, most notably in India, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Ainesh
Ainesh means the glory of the sun, and it belongs to the small cluster of solar names Indian parents have favored for generations. The sound is gentle for a name with that much heat behind it. Closing on the soft -esh ending that a lot of Sanskrit boys’ names share, it feels familiar even to people meeting it for the first time. It stays uncommon almost everywhere, so your son is unlikely to meet another. Ash and Nesh both work if you want a shorter everyday call.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Sun’s glory
- Pronunciation: Aye-NEESH
Anand
Anand is the modern form of Ananda, from the Sanskrit ananda, meaning bliss, happiness and joy. Few names here are spoken across Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Gujarati alike. That reach is the point: an Anand is understood from Chennai to Ahmedabad, which matters if your family spans regions. It is short and spelled the way it sounds. It has also never had a fashionable spike that would date it, which is rarer than it sounds among names this warm. Nandu is the affectionate form heard most at home.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Happiness, joy
- Pronunciation: Aa-NAEND
- Variations: Annand, Aanand, Ananda, Anando
- Namesakes: Anand Kumar, an Indian Mathematics educator known for his Super 30 program that coaches underprivileged students for the Indian Institutes of Technology entrance exam.
- Popularity: Anand ranked in the top 1,471 most popular names worldwide in 2014.
Aradhy
Aradhy is gender-neutral in practice but leans male, and it points at the household deity, the one worshipped daily rather than at festivals. That domestic warmth is what separates it from the grander god names, and only a couple of dozen people worldwide carried it in 2014. A trailing -y gives it a lighter finish than the fuller Aradhya.
- Origin: Sanskrit, Hindi
- Meaning: Worshiped, to be adored
- Pronunciation: ah-RAH-thye
- Variations: Aradhya
- Popularity: 26 people were named Aradhy in 2014 worldwide.
Arit
Arit does double duty. In Hindi it lands on beloved friend, while in Nigerian usage it belongs to a child born as the sun goes down. There are no silent letters and no spelling arguments waiting for him. A late-afternoon arrival makes the coincidence a nice story to hand him later.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Beloved, friend
- Pronunciation: Ahh-REET
- Popularity: Arit has ranked within the top 700 most popular names in Nigeria but is relatively uncommon worldwide.
Atishay
Atishay has the sound of an older, more formal name without actually being dusty. Success, brightness and drive all sit inside that one word, which is a lot of freight for a short name to carry gracefully, and it manages. Usage has stayed almost entirely inside India, so there is little chance of a classroom duplicate abroad. Atish and Ati are the natural shortenings, and both sound at home in English.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Successful, bright, dynamic
- Pronunciation: Aaht-TEES-hay
- Variations: Aatish, Adheesh, Adhish, Atish
- Popularity: Atishay isn’t really used outside of India, where it only enjoys slight popularity.
Bhadrak
Bhadrak means good, virtuous and handsome, and it is also a city in eastern India named for the goddess Bhadrakali. That gives the name two anchors, a character trait and a place, which is more grounding than most rare names get. Only 31 people in India carried it in 2014, so it is scarce even at home. The opening Bh- is the one hurdle for English speakers, and a soft B with a puff of air gets you there.
- Origin: Sanskrit, Hindi
- Meaning: Handsome, good, virtuous
- Pronunciation: BAAD-rahk
- Variations: Bhadraka
- Popularity: Only 31 people in India were named Bhadrak in 2014.
Bhavatu
Bhavatu points to the boy who stands out, athletically or otherwise, and it is rare enough that it does not register in US name databases at all. Three syllables with the stress in the middle give it a rolling, unhurried sound. Nothing about it is trendy, which is exactly why it will not date. If you want a name no one in the room has heard, this is one of the safer bets on the list.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Outstanding, athletic
- Pronunciation: Bha-VAAH-too
- Popularity: While rare in India, Bhavatu doesn’t even show up in the name databases for the U.S.
Bodhi
Bodhi comes from the Sanskrit bodhi, the term for enlightenment in Buddhism. This is the one name here that has genuinely crossed over into English-speaking use, ranking 265th for American boys in 2025, up from 301st in 2024 and 294th the year before. Unlike most crossover picks it kept its meaning intact rather than becoming a pleasant sound with no story behind it. The spelling is phonetic, so no explaining is required at the school gate. The trade for that ease is company: your Bodhi will probably meet another one. That is the bargain with any name this comfortable in two cultures at once.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Enlightenment, awakening
- Pronunciation: BOW-Diy
- Variations: Bodi
- Namesakes: Bodhi Pine Elfman (born Bodhi Pine Saboff), an American actor best known for playing Avram Hader in the Fox television series Touch.
- Popularity: Bodhi is the most mainstream name on this list in the US, ranking 265th for American boys in 2025 with 0.071 percent of boys given the name, up from 301st in 2024 and 294th in 2023.
Chakshan
Chakshan simply means good looking, which is either charming or a lot to live up to, depending on your sense of humor. It was recorded three times worldwide in 2014, so rarity is not in question. Chak and Chaki are the ready-made short forms, and both land easily in English.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Good looking
- Pronunciation: CHAKH-shaan
- Popularity: In 2014, Chakshan was used only 3 times in India (and worldwide).
Chitayu
Chitayu describes someone born with intellect, descended from thought itself, which reads more like a concept than a given name. Sitting close to Chirayu, a more familiar variant that means long-lived, it gets confused with that name constantly. Pronunciation is friendlier than the spelling suggests, with no traps anywhere in it. For parents drawn to Sanskrit abstractions rather than deity names, this is a quiet standout.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: One who is born with intellect, descended from thought
- Pronunciation: Chiy-TAAH-uw
- Variations: Chirayu
Daiwik
Daiwik means by the grace of God, a theme running through a large share of Hindi boys’ names, but the sound here is unusually crisp. Worldwide it ranked around 908th in 2016 and has stayed uncommon since. A hard opening and a clean finish let it hold its own against short Western names in a mixed-heritage household. Most people also get the spelling right the first time, which cannot be said for much of this list. Parents who want a devotional meaning without a devotional sound tend to end up here.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: By the grace of God
- Pronunciation: DEY-whik
- Popularity: Daiwik is a very uncommon name, which ranked as the 908th most popular name in 2016 worldwide.
Deekshant
Deekshant goes further than the usual gift of God gloss, reaching toward the idea of someone properly educated and initiated. Dikshant is the more common transliteration, so decide early which spelling you want on the birth certificate. It is a three-syllable name with a firm consonant cluster in the middle, which gives it real weight. Deek is the everyday shortening families settle on.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: DEEK-shaant
- Variations: Dikshant, Deeshant, Dikshanth
Deepit
Deepit means lighted and reads as a ray of hope rather than the lamp itself, which is where it parts ways with the far more familiar Deepak. Indian families recognize it on sight, while abroad it is rare enough to feel deliberate. Best of all, it is almost never mispronounced, a real advantage in a name with this much cultural specificity. Deep is the obvious short form and stands up fine on its own.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: The ray of hope, lighted
- Pronunciation: DEEY-piht
- Variations: Deepok
- Popularity: Deepit is a somewhat popular boys’ name in India, while there are at least 200 people worldwide with the name.
Devyan
Devyan carries an ancient job description, serving the gods and driving their chariot, but it sounds close enough to Devon to slide easily into English-speaking life. That balance is rare, and it is why the name keeps turning up in Indian, American and Malaysian records alike. A Dev- opening links it to a whole family of names, from Dev to Devansh, if you want siblings to rhyme thematically. Anyone who can say Devon can say Devyan.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Serving the gods, chariot of the gods
- Pronunciation: Daiv-YAAHN
- Variations: Devon, Daeven, Devain, Devan, Devayan
- Popularity: Devyan was mildly popular in 2014 in India, the U.S., and Malaysia.
Dhavit
Dhavit sits close to David without being a translation of it. Its meanings of white, washed and clean give it a bright, uncluttered feel that the more familiar name does not quite have. Genuinely rare, it turns up mostly in Indonesian records rather than Indian ones. The Dh- opening is the only obstacle, and it softens to a plain D in casual English speech anyway. Dabhit, Daavid and Dahrit all circulate as variants, so pick your spelling early. Parents who like David but want something less traveled often stop here. The resemblance does the introducing for you, which is a rare favor from a name this uncommon.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: White, washed, pure, clean
- Pronunciation: DAAH-veet
- Variations: Dabhit, Daavid, Dahrit
- Popularity: Dhavit is a very rare name that appears mostly in Indonesia.
Dhir
Dhir means gentle and wise, and it sounds almost exactly like the English word dear, which is either a gift or a running family joke. Worldwide it hovers around 8,000th and turns up rarely in the US. The cricketer Dhir Muri Lal, who played for Southern Punjab and Northern India, is its best-known bearer.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Gentle, wise
- Pronunciation: DHEE-r
- Variations: Dheer, Dherya, Dheera
- Namesakes: Dhir Muri Lal, an Indian cricketer who played with Southern Punjab and Northern India.
- Popularity: Dhir lands around the top 8,000th boys’ names list worldwide and pops up and down slightly with very rare usage in the U.S.
Doshagya
Doshagya belongs to the person who can tell good from evil, a heavier idea than most name meanings attempt. You will struggle to find another child carrying it anywhere. Four syllables need a slow first introduction, and the -gya ending is the part people stumble on. This is a name for parents who want meaning first and convenience second.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Wise
- Pronunciation: Dosh-AGH-ya
Ehan
Ehan means expected in Hindu usage, a quietly perfect fit for a baby on the way. In Arabic it points to the full moon instead, so the name arrives with two meanings from two traditions. Both readings are gentle, which is not something you can say about every name with this much history behind it. It is more common in Arabic-speaking and Muslim communities than in India itself. The model and actor Ehan Bhat, who debuted in the Bollywood film 99 Songs, is the name’s most visible bearer. Four letters, no ambiguity, and it works on a toddler and a grown man equally well.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic
- Meaning: Expected, full moon
- Pronunciation: Eh-HHAAN
- Namesakes: Ehan Bhat, an Indian model, and actor, who made his debut in the Bollywood film 99 Songs.
- Popularity: Ehan is sometimes used more in Arabic-speaking and Muslim countries but remains only somewhat popular.
Erish
Erish is one of the softer names on this list, landing on cherished and beloved without any of the martial weight that so many Sanskrit boys’ names carry. There is a second life for it in Quranic usage, where it names a raised structure such as a trellis built to hold up vines. Two meanings that both suggest care and support is a nice pairing for a first name. Areesh is the alternate spelling you will see most often.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: To cherish, to hold dear, beloved
- Pronunciation: Aih-R-sh
- Variations: Areesh
- Popularity: In 2021, Erish ranked in the top 8,376th most popular names worldwide.
Ganak
Ganak names the astrologer and the mathematician at once, the person who can take a pile of numbers and resolve them into one answer. In the old world those were the same job, which is a good detail to have in your back pocket when someone asks about the name. Its use sits almost entirely on the Indian subcontinent and stays thin everywhere else.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Astrologer, mathematician, one who can calculate well
- Pronunciation: GAH-naak
- Variations: Ganaka
- Popularity: At least 600 people are named Ganak worldwide, mostly on the Indian subcontinent in Islamic countries.
Gaoushik
Gaoushik is so rare that reliable usage data barely exists for it, and its meanings run from Lord Buddha to an epithet of Shiva. The spelling is the sticking point: Koushik, Gaushik and Gowshik are all in circulation, and choosing one commits your son to correcting people. If that does not put you off, you get a name with genuine devotional depth and essentially no competition. Kou is the short form most families fall back on.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Lord Buddha, an epithet of shiva, love, passion, an epithet of Indra
- Pronunciation: GOW-schik
- Variations: Koushik, Gaushik, Gaousik, Gowshik
Hamil
Hamil means carrier or bearer in Arabic, and it doubles as an Old English word for a flat-topped hill, which is why it turns up more often as a European surname than an Indian first name. That crossover is its strength. As a result it reads as a plausible name in almost any country, which is not something you can say about most entries here. The Barbadian sprinter Hamil Grimes, who competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics, is the best-documented bearer.
- Origin: Arabic, Muslim
- Meaning: Carrier, bearer
- Pronunciation: HHAE-mahl
- Variations: Hamill, Hamal
- Namesakes: Hamil Grimes, a Barbadian sprinter, who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Hariaksh
Hariaksh is an epithet of Lord Shiva and feels less like a modern given name than a fragment of scripture, which is exactly the appeal for some families. In 2020 it did not crack the top 15,000 names worldwide. The -ksh ending is the hard part for English speakers, and the many variants (Harikesh, Harkishan, Haryaksha) exist partly because of it. Hari on its own is a complete, widely recognized name if you want the meaning without the mouthful.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Lord Shiva
- Pronunciation: HAAH-Diaksh
- Variations: Harikesh, Harikishan, Harkesh, Harkishan, Haryaksh, Haryaksha
- Popularity: In 2020, Hariaksh did not fall within the top 15,000 popular names worldwide.
Harij
Harij means horizon, and it is also a town in Gujarat, so the name points at a distance and a specific place at the same time. Very few names manage to be both abstract and geographic. In 2014 there were 336 people worldwide carrying it, with the greatest density in the United Arab Emirates rather than India. It needs no explanation once you say it out loud. Parents who want an outward-looking name without reaching for anything grandiose tend to like this one.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Horizon
- Pronunciation: Huh-RIHJ
- Popularity: In 2014, 336 people worldwide were named Harij, with the greatest density in the United Arab Emirates.
Harsith
Harsith is built on the same joyful root as Harsh and Harshit, and it feels contemporary rather than inherited. Only 21 people worldwide carried it in 2014, spread across India, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. That -th ending is unusual for the Har- family and is what gives it a modern edge. Expect to spell it out; Harsit is the competing transliteration.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Joyous, cheerful, happy
- Pronunciation: Hhaar-SIYT
- Variations: Harsit
- Popularity: Only 21 people were named Harsith worldwide in 2014 in India, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.
Hiresh
Hiresh means king of gems, which is about as ornamental as a name meaning gets, and it belongs to the wide Har-/Hari- family that includes Harish and Haresh. Roughly 1,800 people carried it in 2014, mostly in India and Mauritius. The Malaysian singer-songwriter Hiresh Haridas, who performs as Reshmonu, is the name’s most recognizable bearer. If you like the sound but not the spelling, Harish is the smoother, better-known alternative.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: King of gems, king of precious stones
- Pronunciation: HIHR-aish
- Variations: Hareesh, Haresh, Harish, Herish
- Namesakes: Hiresh Haridas (known by his stage name Reshmonu), a Malaysian singer-songwriter who performs primarily English songs.
- Popularity: In 2014, 1807 people had the name Hiresh, mostly in India and Mauritius.
Hridhaan
Hridhaan comes from the Sanskrit word for heart. It extends to generous and compassionate, which is why it has become a favorite among Indian parents looking for something warm rather than heroic. It is not an easy name on first sight, and the doubled vowel in the middle trips people up. It ranked 5,181st among US boys’ names in 2020, with only 17 babies given the name that year. That puts it in the odd position of being fashionable in India and almost unknown in America. Hridh and Ridh both work as short forms once the full version has been introduced. Of the two, Ridh is the one strangers manage without coaching.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Heart, soul, generous and compassionate
- Pronunciation: HREEDH-aan
- Variations: Hrehaan, Hridaan
- Namesakes: Hridhaan Roshan, the younger son of Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan and grandson of filmmaker Rakesh Roshan.
- Popularity: Hridhaan ranked as the 5,181st most popular boys name in 2020, with only 17 baby boys named Hridhaan.
Hrutesh
Hrutesh reaches for lord of truth in one reading and lord of springs in another, so it lives in the same territory as water-inspired names while carrying a moral charge. Only five people worldwide were recorded with it in 2014. An Hr- opening is the obstacle, and it is the reason variants such as Hritesh and Hridesh see far more use. Choose the spelling you are willing to repeat for the next eighteen years.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Lord of truth, lord of springs
- Pronunciation: HRUU-taish
- Variations: Hridayesh, Hridesh, Hritesh, Hritish, Hrydayesh
- Popularity: Only 5 people were named Hrutesh worldwide in 2014.
Idhayan
Idhayan means the joy that lives in the heart, and the sound matches the meaning, unhurried and open rather than clipped. The similar-looking Adhyayan listed beside it is a separate name entirely, so do not treat the two as interchangeable. Idhu is a soft, easy nickname for the toddler years.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Joy of heart
- Pronunciation: ID-haa-yaan
- Variations: Adhyan, Adhyayan
Ikshan
Ikshan means sight, and Indian tradition reads that as spiritual perception as much as physical vision. The Arabic Ihsan, which means excellence or perfection, sounds close enough that the two get mixed up regularly. Sixty-five people worldwide carried it in 2014, with Indonesia leading rather than India. There are no silent letters to argue about, which is more than most of its neighbors here can claim.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Sight
- Pronunciation: IHK-shuhn
- Variations: Ihsan, Ihsaan
- Popularity: In 2014, 65 people were called Ikshan worldwide, with Indonesia at #1.
Ishir
Ishir means powerful and strong, and it connects to fire and to Agni, the Hindu god of fire. That gives it more heat than its gentle sound suggests, and the contrast is the whole appeal of this kind of masculine name: it does not announce itself. Worldwide it ranked around 6,345th in 2021, almost all of that in India. Watch the variants listed beside it, though. Ishita is a feminine Sanskrit name meaning supremacy, so it is not an interchangeable spelling. Treat Ishir as its own name and the confusion never arises.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Powerful, strong, active
- Pronunciation: IHS-hihr
- Variations: Ishi, Ishini, Ishita
- Popularity: Ishir ranked #6,345 among popular names in 2021, with the most incidents in India.
Jogesha
Jogesha means the lord of those who practice yoga, an epithet of Shiva, and only 27 people in India were recorded with it in 2014. Few names get more spiritually specific than that. Three syllables with a long middle make it sound ceremonial rather than casual. Joge is the practical short form for daily use.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Lord Shiva
- Pronunciation: Jo-GEH-sha
- Popularity: Only 27 people were named Jogesha in India in 2014.
Kaanishk
Kaanishk points to the royal vehicle of Lord Vishnu, and its fuller variant Kanishka was borne by Kanishka the Great, the Kushan emperor who ruled from roughly 127 to 150 CE. His territory ran from Central Asia through Gandhara into northern India, so the name arrives attached to a real empire rather than a legend. That historical weight is unusual for a name this rare. The doubled a and the -shk ending mean nearly everyone will pause before attempting it. Kanishk is the cleaner spelling if you want to spare your son the correction routine.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: The royal vehicle of Lord Vishnu
- Pronunciation: KUH-nihshk
- Variations: Kaanishik, Kanishk, Kanishka, Kanishkan, Kanishkar
Kalagya
Kalagya covers the artist and the astrologer, two callings that ancient India treated as branches of the same skill. Only seven people worldwide were recorded with it in 2014, so this is nearly a blank slate. That -gya ending is the pronunciation hurdle, as it is with Doshagya. If the meaning matters more to you than the ease, few names on this list offer more room to make it your own.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Artist, astrologer
- Pronunciation: Kah-LAAGH-yaa
- Popularity: In 2014, only 7 people were named Kalagya in India (and worldwide).
Kalin
Kalin pulls from several directions at once: mountains in Hindu usage, handsome in Greek, and slender in older English and Gaelic. In 2022 it ranked just outside the top 2,000 names worldwide, which makes it one of the more findable entries here. Two syllables, phonetic spelling, no coaching required. Whichever origin you claim, it will be spelled right on the first attempt almost everywhere you go.
- Origin: Hindi, Greek
- Meaning: Mountains, handsome
- Pronunciation: KEY-lihn
- Variations: Kallin, Kellen
- Popularity: Kalin ranked just over the top 2,000 most popular names in 2022 worldwide.
Kamal
Kamal is really two names sharing a spelling. The Indian one is the modern masculine form of Kamala and means lotus, and it is used across Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Nepali, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The Arabic one comes from kamal, meaning perfection, and gives us the Turkish Kemal and Albanian Qemal. That double heritage is why it travels so widely and why it is a cute name for boys and girls alike. The Tamil actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan is the bearer most people will know.
- Origin: Sanskrit, Arabic
- Meaning: Lotus (Sanskrit); perfection (Arabic)
- Pronunciation: KAA-mael
- Variations: Kamaal, Kamall, Kameal, Kameil, Kamil, Kamyl
- Namesakes: Kamal Haasan, an Indian actor, filmmaker, director, lyricist, playback singer, choreographer, politician, and a polymath in Tamil cinema.
Kanj
Kanj names Lord Brahma, who was born from a golden egg in one telling, and it also carries the sense of born in water. Both readings circle the same creation story. Kanji is the fuller variant if the short version feels too spare.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Lord Brahma
- Pronunciation: KHAN-jh
- Variations: Kanji
Kavan
Kavan straddles two traditions cleanly. In Hindi it stretches from poem to water, and in Irish it connects to the name Kevin, an Anglicized Caoimhin built from the elements for beloved and birth. It was used 2,224 times across India, Iran and Sri Lanka in 2014, so it is well established without being common abroad. The Canadian actor Kavan Smith, who played Major Evan Lorne in Stargate Atlantis, keeps it in circulation in English-speaking media. For a mixed-heritage family, this may be the most naturally bilingual name on the list.
- Origin: Hindi, Irish
- Meaning: Water, poem, handsome
- Pronunciation: KAH-vahn
- Variations: Kevin
- Namesakes: Kavan Joel Smith, a Canadian actor known for playing Major Evan Lorne in Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG-1.
- Popularity: In 2014, Kavan was used 2,224 times in India, Iran, and Sri Lanka.
Kavindu
Kavindu combines poetry and the moon into a single idea, the poet who sings about the moon, which is an unusually specific image for a given name. Sri Lanka uses it far more than India does. Kavi is the short form, and it stands on its own as a name meaning poet.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: The moon poet, he who sings about the moon
- Pronunciation: Kuh-VEEN-du
- Namesakes: Kavindu Ishan, a Sri Lankan international footballer and midfielder for Air Force in the Sri Lanka Football Premier League. Kavindu Nadeeshan, a Sri Lankan cricketer who made his debut for the Colombo Cricket Club in the 2019-20 Premier League Tournament.
- Popularity: Kavindu ranked in Sri Lanka’s top 500 in 2014 and has stayed within the wider top 3,000 since.
Khalin
Khalin means one who possesses threshing floors, which sounds agricultural until you remember what a threshing floor is for: separating what you keep from what you discard. Scripture uses it as a place of judgment and revelation, and that is the layer most families are actually drawn to. In 2021 it did not rank inside the top 13,000 names worldwide. The familiar Kh- opening makes it far easier to carry than its meaning suggests.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: One who possesses threshing floors
- Pronunciation: KAH-lihn
- Variations: Khalen, Khalon
- Popularity: Khalin didn’t rank within the top 13,000 most popular names worldwide in 2021.
Kunal
Kunal is the modern form of Kunala, a Sanskrit name meaning lotus. The original Kunala was a son of the emperor Ashoka in the third century BC, which gives the name a real historical anchor rather than a mythological one. Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati and Punjabi all use it, a wider footprint than most names on this list manage. English speakers already know it from Kunal Nayyar, who played Rajesh Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory. It arrives pre-introduced in a lot of households as a result. Few names here ask so little of the people who have to say them.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Lotus
- Pronunciation: Kuw-NAHL
- Variations: Kunaal, Konal, Kunnal
- Namesakes: Kunal Nayyar, a British-Indian actor known for portraying Rajesh Koothrappali on The Big Bang Theory. Kunal Kapoor, an Indian cricketer who plays for Karnataka.
- Popularity: In 2014, Kunal ranked as the 7,630th most popular name worldwide, with India taking the top spot, followed by the U.S. and the UK.
Lusha
Lusha means saffron, so it is a rare name for a rare thing. The sound is Slavic to Western ears, but the name comes out of Hindu tradition. The British actress Lusha Kellgren is one of the few public bearers anywhere, and the rest of its use is scattered thinly across China, India and Kosovo. The soft -sha ending gives it an unusually gentle finish for a boys’ name. That softness will be the deciding factor either way.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Saffron
- Pronunciation: LOO-shah
- Variations: Lushaen
- Namesakes: Lusha Kellgren, a British actress known for Never Say Die, Only Fools and Horses, and Breaking Up.
- Popularity: Lusha has some usage in China, India and Kosovo, while just 700 people worldwide have the name.
Madhuj
Madhuj means made of honey, and it is one of the few names here that is purely affectionate rather than aspirational or devotional. Just 11 boys in India were given it in 2014, while the feminine Madhuja sees far more use. A final -j is the only tricky bit, landing somewhere between a soft j and a jh. Sweet names wear out fast once they get popular, and this one has never had the chance.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Made of honey
- Pronunciation: Maad-HHUWJ
- Variations: Madhuja
- Popularity: Madhuj is mainly used in India, where it was only given to 11 boys in 2014.
Mahir
Mahir means expert or skilled. Hindi, Arabic and Turkish all claim it equally, which is why you will meet Mahirs in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Bangladesh more often than in India. That portability is the selling point. It is spelled as spoken and recognized on three continents, so it never needs an explanation. The Turkish footballer Mahir Saglik and the German basketball player Mahir Agva both keep it visible in European sport. For a family that expects to move, or already has, it removes a whole category of small daily friction. The meaning ages well too, since a skilled adult wears it better than a toddler does and it waits patiently for him.
- Origin: Hindi, Arabic
- Meaning: Expert, brave, industrious
- Pronunciation: Maa-HHI-HR
- Namesakes: Mahir Agva, a German basketball player. Mahir Sağlık, a Turkish professional footballer who plays for SC Verl.
- Popularity: Mahir has experienced more popularity in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Bangladesh than in India overall.
Manayu
Manayu gathers desire, devotion and prayer into one word, all of it pointing at what moves the heart rather than what the body achieves. Almost nowhere in the world does it register in name data. For parents who want something meditative rather than mighty, it is worth a long look.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Desirous, devoted, praying
- Pronunciation: Ma-NAAY-oo
Mayur
Mayur is the Sanskrit mayura, meaning peacock, and it is used across Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati. There is hardly a lighter or more colorful thing to name a child after. The sound matches the meaning, with no hard edges anywhere in it. It ranked around 10,277th worldwide in 2014, almost all of that in India. The screenwriter and lyricist Mayur Puri, who wrote for Om Shanti Om, is among its better-known bearers. An English speaker gets it right on the first attempt, which cannot be said for most of its neighbors here.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Peacock
- Pronunciation: Maa-YUHR
- Variations: Mayer
- Namesakes: Mayur Verma, an Indian television actor known for playing Bunny in Jeannie Aur Juju. Mayur Puri, an Indian screenwriter, lyricist, actor, and filmmaker from Mumbai, wrote songs, screenplays, and dialogue for several movies, including Om Shanti Om.
- Popularity: Mayur ranked as the 10,277th most popular name worldwide in 2014, with most of those occurring in India.
Nadin
Nadin means lord of rivers, and it also exists independently as a Slavic name of Russian origin, where the far better-known feminine form is Nadia. Those are separate traditions that happen to meet in one spelling, not spelling variants of each other. Usage stays very rare, with the heaviest concentrations in Egypt, Russia and Indonesia. If you have a future sailor on your hands, the water meaning does most of the work for you.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Lord or rivers, ocean
- Pronunciation: Nah-DIHN
- Namesakes: Nadin Ercegović, a former tennis player for Yugoslavia and Croatia.
- Popularity: Nadin is very rare worldwide, with the top usage in Egypt, Russia, and Indonesia, respectively.
Naksh
Naksh swings between two images, the moon and the fine detail of a drawing or sketch. Almost every recorded bearer of it is in India. It pairs especially well with a long surname.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: The moon, feature, a drawing, a sketch
- Pronunciation: NAAHK-sch
- Variations: Nakesh, Naksha
- Popularity: 58 out of 68 Naksh’s worldwide are found in India.
Neer
Neer simply means water, and there is nothing else in it. It ranked 9,995th worldwide in 2021, mostly across India and Pakistan, and it happens to work in Hebrew, German and Dutch contexts too, which is a rare bonus for a name this short. Do not confuse it with Neeraj, which is a related but distinct name meaning lotus. Nothing else on this list is shorter, and shortness is its own kind of confidence.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Water
- Pronunciation: NEE-r
- Popularity: Neer was ranked as the 9,995th most popular name worldwide in 2021, with the most density in India and Pakistan.
Nimay
Nimay means half, and it also serves as a name for Lord Vishnu, so it can be read as playful or devotional depending on which tradition you are standing in. In 2021 it did not make the top 13,000 names. That bright -ay ending gives it a light, boyish sound that suits a toddler and still works on an adult. Nim is the natural short form.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Half
- Pronunciation: NEE-Maay
- Popularity: Nimay did not make the top 13,000 most popular names in 2021.
Niraj
Niraj comes from the Sanskrit niraja, meaning water-born, which is the poetic way of saying lotus. Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and Nepali all use it, so it travels well across the subcontinent. The lotus grows out of mud and comes up clean, which is why it shows up in so many Indian names and why this one carries a sense of composure. It was the 2,099th most popular name worldwide in 2014 and sat inside India’s top 300. Neeraj is the alternate spelling, and it is the more common of the two abroad.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Water-born, lotus
- Pronunciation: NEE-Raazh
- Variations: Neeraj
- Namesakes: Niraj S. Shah, an Indian-American businessman and co-founder of the online retailer Wayfair. Niraj Antani, an American politician who served in the Ohio House of Representatives and then in the Ohio Senate, where he was its first Indian American and Hindu American member.
- Popularity: In 2014, Niraj was the 2,099th most popular name worldwide, ranked in the top 263 in India.
Ojasvat
Ojasvat means vigorous, powerful and strong, and it was recorded exactly once in India in 2014. Three syllables with a hard stop at the end give it genuine force on the page and in the mouth. Ojaswat is the competing spelling, so pick one and stay with it. If you want the sound without the length, Ojas trims it neatly and keeps the same root.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Vigorous, powerful, strong
- Pronunciation: Oh-JUH-svaat
- Variations: Ojaswat
- Popularity: Ojasvat was only recorded once in India in 2014 and rarely used.
Omkar
Omkar names the sacred syllable Om itself, the sound Hindu tradition treats as the origin of everything, and it doubles as an epithet of Ganesha. It is hard to get more spiritually loaded than that in two syllables. It also sounds enough like Oscar to slip into English-speaking settings without friction, which few devotional names manage. It ranked around 5,449th worldwide in 2020, and the Bollywood actor Omkar Kapoor keeps it familiar at home. Om is the obvious short form and a complete word in its own right.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: The sound of the sacred syllable, Lord Ganesha, sound of Om, divine sound
- Pronunciation: OWM-kaar
- Variations: Oncarr, Oncar, Onkara
- Namesakes: Omkar Kapoor, an Indian Bollywood actor worked in films like Judwaa, Hero No.1, and Judaai. Omkar Govardhan, an Indian actor, known for Kaminey, Dokyala Shot, and Love Lagna Locha.
- Popularity: Omkar ranked in the top 5,449th of the most popular names worldwide in 2020.
Onir
Onir means shining and radiant, and though it has a Scandinavian ring to Western ears it is entirely Hindu in origin. In 2020 it ranked around 14,458th worldwide, with a curious pocket of usage in Brazil. The director Onir, one of the first mainstream Hindi filmmakers to take on AIDS and same-sex relationships on screen, has given the name a distinctly modern, independent-minded association. Two syllables, no spelling debate, and easy for a child to write early.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Shining, glowing, radiant
- Pronunciation: AH-neer
- Namesakes: Onir, an Indian film and TV director, editor, screenwriter, and producer who was one of the first mainstream Hindi filmmakers to deal with AIDS and same-sex relationships.
- Popularity: Onir ranked in the top 14,458th most popular names worldwide in 2020, with some popularity in Brazil.
Panna
Panna means emerald, and it is also the name of an Indian town known for its diamond mines, so the gem theme runs through it twice over. It was used for boys about two-thirds of the time in India, which makes it functionally unisex rather than a girl’s name that boys borrow. Power and wisdom sit alongside the gem meaning, so it is not purely decorative.
- Origin: Sikh, Punjabi
- Meaning: Emerald, power, wisdom
- Pronunciation: PAE-nnaa
- Variations: Pannah
- Popularity: Panna was the 168,259th most popular name worldwide in 2014, making the top 1,500 in India, where it was used as a boys’ name 66% of the time.
Parthiv
Parthiv means son of the earth and, by extension, an earthly prince. That is a grounded alternative to the sky and fire names that dominate this list, and it is why it reads as steady rather than showy. Fewer than five boys were named Parthiv in the US in 2018, and it occurred under 1,200 times worldwide in 2014. The playback singer Parthiv Gohil, heard on Devdas and Saawariya, is its most familiar bearer. Parth is the widely used short form and a well-known name on its own. Choosing between the two is really a choice between formal and everyday.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Son of the earth, brave, prince of earth, earthly
- Pronunciation: PAHR-thihv
- Variations: Paarthiv, Paarthivi, Parthavi, Parthivendra
- Namesakes: Parthiv Gohil, a playback singer for Indian films including Devdas, Saawariya, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, and Kisaan.
- Popularity: In the U.S., less than 5 boys were named Parthiv in 2018, while it occurred less than 1,200 times worldwide in 2014.
Posha
Posha covers nourishing, thriving and growth, which reads almost like a blessing rather than a label. Officially unisex, it does lean female, with its heaviest density in Malawi rather than India. An open-vowel shape makes it easy for a small child to say back to you. Posh as a shortening is either endearing or unfortunate, depending on where you live.
- Origin: Sanskrit, Hindi
- Meaning: Nourishing, nurture, thriving, growth
- Pronunciation: PAA-shah
- Variations: Posh
- Popularity: Posha is extremely rare worldwide, especially as a boys’ name, but Malawi has a higher density as a girls’ name.
Poshit
Poshit means loved and defended, two of the most basic things a parent actually provides, which makes the meaning unusually practical for a name this rare. It was used 25 times worldwide in 2014, every one of them in India. Nobody your son meets will have heard it, and that is the whole point.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Loved, defended
- Pronunciation: PAHW-sheet
- Popularity: Poshit was only used 25 times worldwide in 2014, with all occurrences in India.
Prajeshvara
Prajeshvara is the longest and least practical name on this list, and it means lord of subjects, the king or prince who rules over his people. Indian records show it exactly once, in 2014. Five syllables is a serious commitment, and you will spend your son’s childhood spelling it. If you want the grandeur without the paperwork, Prajesh trims it to something workable while keeping the meaning.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Lord of subjects, prince, king
- Pronunciation: PRAH-jesh-vaara
- Variations: Prajeśvara, Prajesvara
- Popularity: Prajeshvara was only used a single time in India in 2014.
Pratik
Pratik comes from the Sanskrit pratika, meaning look or appearance. In everyday Indian usage it has settled into the sense of a symbol or emblem, which is a softer, more modern idea than the deity names around it. Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali all speak it, with India, Bangladesh and Nepal accounting for most of its use. Prateek is the alternate transliteration and the one you will see more often on documents. The actor Pratik Gandhi, known from Gujarati theater and cinema, is the bearer most Indian families will recognize.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Symbol, image; look, appearance
- Pronunciation: Prah-TIYK
- Variations: Prateak, Prateek, Pratyk
- Namesakes: Pratik Gandhi, an Indian actor in Gujarati theater and cinema. Pratik Sehajpal, an Indian actor, model, and fitness trainer, appeared in BiggBoss OTT.
- Popularity: Pratik ranks as the 10,030th most popular name worldwide, most notably in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, respectively.
Pravir
Pravir means an excellent warrior, and it extends to chief and king, so it sits at the top of the strong-name family alongside other warrior names. Indian families recognize it without it being common there. Praveer is the softer-looking spelling if the double consonant bothers you. Front-stressed and blunt, it lands with real weight in the mouth.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Brave, king, chief, an excellent warrior
- Pronunciation: Pruh-VEER
- Variations: Praveer
- Namesakes: Pravir Malik, PhD, an Indian-American author who has written 16 books related to developing a unified theory and the mathematics of organization.
- Popularity: Pravir ranks as the 5,766th most popular name in India.
Punit
Punit comes from the Sanskrit punita, meaning cleaned or purified, and it is used in Hindi and Marathi. This is a quiet name for a large idea, with none of the ceremonial heft that god names carry. In 2014 it sat just outside the top 10,000 worldwide, with India first and Nepal second. The choreographer and actor Punit J Pathak has given it a young, energetic association in Indian television.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Pure, holy
- Pronunciation: Poo-NEET
- Variations: Pooneet, Puneet, Punith
- Namesakes: Punit J Pathak, an Indian dancer, choreographer and actor. Punit Malhotra, an Indian film director who works in Hindi cinema.
- Popularity: Punit ranked just under the top 10,000 most popular names worldwide in 2014, with the most usage in India, followed by Nepal.
Rahasya
Rahasya means one who is full of mystery. It is flowery enough that it gets used for girls at least as often as boys, so it is a unisex pick in practice. It stays very rare worldwide in either direction. The stress falls in the middle, which gives it a soft, unhurried shape that suits the meaning. Every unborn baby is a mystery to their parents, which makes this one of the few names on the list that is literally true on day one. It is also a name a boy grows into rather than out of. Rahas is the shortening families reach for, though most end up using the whole thing.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: One who is full of mystery
- Pronunciation: Ra-HASY-ah
- Popularity: Rahasya is very rare worldwide, with only about 100 Rahasya globally.
Raktim
Raktim means bright red, and it is one of the few names here drawn from a color rather than a virtue or a deity. That makes it lighter to carry than most of this list, with no expectation baked in. It sounds modern despite being an old word, helped by the crisp k-t consonant pairing in the middle. Rak works as a short form, and the full name is spelled the way it sounds.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Bright red, one who has a red-colored body
- Pronunciation: Reyk-TAHM
- Popularity: Only 5,692 people were named Raktim worldwide in 2014, mostly in India and Bangladesh.
Ravishu
Ravishu means one who is lucky in love, with a direct nod to Cupid, and there is no other name on this list quite so unabashedly romantic. Even in India it is rare, and that is where nearly all of its use sits. A soft -shu ending gives it a playful finish that fits a small boy and softens as he grows. Ravi, the far more common short form, is a well-known name in its own right.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: One who is lucky in love, a cupid
- Pronunciation: Raah-VEESH-u
- Variations: Ravish
- Popularity: Ravishu is a rare name worldwide, with approximately 70 people named Ravishu in India.
Ridhaan
Ridhaan reads two ways, as one who searches and as someone with a generous heart, and both are flattering things to wish on a child. In 2020 it ranked around 2,916th worldwide, which makes it one of the more established rare names here. The doubled a lengthens the second half and is what separates it from Hridaan. It sounds like it could belong to several traditions at once, which is useful if your family spans more than one.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: One who searches
- Pronunciation: REEDH-aahn
- Variations: Hridaan
- Popularity: Ridhaan was ranked the 2,916th most popular name worldwide in 2020.
Rijul
Rijul means innocent and flawless, which is a wonderfully optimistic thing to name a boy who will spend the next decade denying he broke anything. Of the 931 people recorded with it worldwide in 2014, 878 were in India. It comes with an unusually long list of spellings, from Rijool to Rijoule, so pin one down before the paperwork starts. The soft opening makes it easy for a child to write early.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Innocent, pure, flawless, sinless
- Pronunciation: Riy-JUWL
- Variations: Rijool, Rijoole, Rijoul, Rijoule, Rijule
- Popularity: 931 people were named Rijul worldwide in 2014, 878 of which occurred in India.
Rodas
Rodas gathers Greek and Spanish roots around the idea of roses and rose gardens, and it turns up in India more often than you would expect, with 1,755 of the 3,432 people recorded with it in 2014 living there. It reads more naturally as a surname than a first name in most of the world, which is exactly what draws some parents to it. Two syllables, no pronunciation traps, and it pairs cleanly with almost any surname. Rhodes is the Anglicized spelling if you want the sound without the botanical hint.
- Origin: Hindi, Greek, Spanish
- Meaning: Rose garden, roses, where roses grow
- Pronunciation: ROW-dahs
- Variations: Rhodes
- Popularity: 1,755 people were named Rodas in India in 2014 out of 3,432 people worldwide.
Rohak
Rohak means rising or climbing, an upward name in the plainest sense. Of the 54 people recorded with it worldwide in 2014, 34 were in Indonesia rather than India. Sitting in the same sound family as the far more familiar Rohan and Rohit, it will not strike Indian ears as alien. If you want that family of sounds without the classroom duplicates, this is the uncrowded door.
- Origin: Hindi, Arabic
- Meaning: Rising, Climber
- Pronunciation: ROW-haak
- Popularity: In 2014, 34 out of 54 people worldwide named Rohak were in Indonesia.
Ronit
Ronit belongs to two traditions at once, Hindi and Hebrew, and both land on the same idea: a song, and a kind of graceful charm. It is unusual for a name to arrive at one meaning by two unrelated routes. It reached 118th in Israel in 2014, its highest ranking anywhere. It is used for boys and girls alike, and that flexibility is worth knowing before you commit. The actor Ronit Bose Roy, a fixture of Hindi television and film, is the bearer most Indian families picture. Roni is the shortened form, and it leans further female than the full name does.
- Origin: Hindi, Hebrew
- Meaning: Song, chant, graceful, charming
- Pronunciation: RAAN-iht
- Variations: Roni
- Namesakes: Ronit Bose Roy, an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi television and films, who earned a Filmfare Award,two Screen Awards, five ITA Awards, and six Indian Telly Awards.
- Popularity: Ronit is a somewhat popular name worldwide, having the highest ranking of 118th in Israel in 2014.
Sahil
Sahil means coast or shore in Hindi, Urdu and Azerbaijani, in every case borrowed from the Arabic sahil. That shared root explains why it turns up from Baku to Bengaluru. Among the names here it is one of the steadier ones, holding its place rather than spiking and fading. Spelled as spoken, it is immediately usable in an English-speaking country. The cricketer Sahil Gupta of Chhattisgarh and Azerbaijan’s labor minister Sahil Babayev show just how far the name travels.
- Origin: Hindi, Urdu, Arabic
- Meaning: Coast, shore
- Pronunciation: Saa-HHIHL
- Variations: Saheal, Saheel, Saheil, Sahel, Sahiele, Sahile, Sahyle
- Namesakes: Sahil Gupta, an Indian cricketer who plays for the Chhattisgarh team. Sahil Babayev, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population for the Republic of Azerbaijan.
- Popularity: Sahil continuously ranks in the top 10,000 most popular names worldwide.
Saket
Saket names heaven, specifically the place where God resides, which sets it apart from the many names here that point at a deity rather than a destination. There were close to 25,000 people named Saket in India in 2014 against just 303 in the US, so it is familiar at home and striking abroad. Two syllables, hard-edged and quick, with none of the softness the meaning might suggest. The entrepreneur Saket Modi, based in Palo Alto, is a recognizable modern bearer.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Heaven, a place where God resides
- Pronunciation: Saah-KAHT
- Variations: Saaket, Saikat, Saketa
- Namesakes: Saket Modi, an Indian entrepreneur based in Palo Alto. Saket Elhami, an Iranian football manager who currently manages Nassaji in the Persian Gulf Pro League.
- Popularity: There were nearly 25,000 incidences of Saket in India in 2014, but only 303 in the U.S.
Sankalp
Sankalp means determination, the will to see something through once you have decided on it. That is an active quality rather than a passive one, which is what separates it from the gentler virtue names on this list. Its use is concentrated in India and thin everywhere else. The -lp ending is the only tricky part, and it smooths out quickly with practice.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Determination, will
- Pronunciation: SAAHN-kalp
- Variations: Sankalpa
- Namesakes: Sankalp Acharekar, an Indian producer and production manager known for Udta Punjab, Gangs of Wasseypur and Ugly. Sankalp Vohra, an Indian cricketer who took the most wickets in the 2005-06 Vijay Hazare Trophy.
- Popularity: Sankalp is ranked within the top 6,000 baby names worldwide, with the most usage in India.
Saphal
Saphal means successful, with no metaphor and no mythology in the way. Only 36 people worldwide carried it in 2014, which is surprising for a word so plainly positive. Safal is the shorter spelling and the more common of the two. If you want a name whose meaning needs no explanation at all, this is the most direct option on the list.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Successful
- Pronunciation: SAF-fhal
- Variations: Safal
- Popularity: Only 36 people worldwide were named Saphal in 2014.
Sarin
Sarin means prince or nobleman, and it is thought to have grown out of a subdivision of the Khatri community in India, which makes it a clan name as much as a given one. There is also a sense of having a good heart in it, so the nobility is internal as well as inherited. Recorded bearers number in the dozens worldwide, so a duplicate is close to impossible. Check how it reads locally before committing, because the sound carries an unrelated association in English.
- Origin: Hindi, Sikh
- Meaning: Prince, Lord, nobleman
- Pronunciation: Sah-RIHN
- Variations: Saryn
- Popularity: Fewer than 50 people worldwide have carried the name in recorded counts.
Sayak
Sayak stretches from weapon and arrow to kind and helpful, which is an unusually wide range for one short name. Even at home in India it is rare, and almost none of its use falls outside the country. The Bengali actor Sayak Chakraborty and the cinematographer Sayak Shome are the bearers with the most visible work behind them.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Weapon, kind, helpful
- Pronunciation: Saa-YAAK
- Namesakes: Sayak Chakraborty, a Bengali actor who works in Bengali cinema. Sayak Shome, an Indian writer and cinematographer known for Paper Bag and The Big Shrub.
- Popularity: Sayak ranks within the top 12,000 popular Indian male names.
Sharad
Sharad is the Sanskrit sharad, meaning autumn, and it is used across Hindi, Marathi and Nepali. A season name gives a boy something calm and recurring to carry rather than a standard to live up to. That is a genuine relief among names that mean king, warrior or god. Over 200,000 people in India carried it in 2014, putting it inside the top 5,000 worldwide. This is easily the strongest nature-inspired pick on the list. The actor Sharad Kelkar keeps it current in Hindi film and television.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Autumn
- Pronunciation: Sher-AEHD
- Variations: Sharid, Sharod, Sharyd
- Namesakes: Sharad Govindrao Pawar, an Indian politician who has served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Sharad Kelkar, an Indian actor who has appeared in Hindi films, Marathi films and television serials.
- Popularity: In 2014, Sharad ranked within the top 5,000 most popular names worldwide, with over 200,000 people named Sharad in India.
Sharva
Sharva points back to the goddess Durga, also known as Parvati, who is charged with holding the universe together and defeating what threatens it. That is a heavy reference for a name that sounds this light. Most of its recorded bearers are girls, so it reads as a unisex choice rather than a straightforwardly male one. The shape of it feels modern despite the ancient reference. Go in knowing the gender split, because it is the one thing that surprises parents later.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Goddess Durga/Goddess Parvati
- Pronunciation: SHaaR-Vah
- Variations: Sharvah
- Popularity: Only 200 people worldwide are named Sharva, with most Sharvas being girls.
Shivansh
Shivansh means a part of Lord Shiva, and it is one of the more devotional names here without being unwieldy. The US charts first listed it in 2012 at 4,250th, with under 1,500 people worldwide carrying it at the time. That -nsh ending is the obstacle for English speakers. There is no shorter variant that keeps the meaning, though Shiv works well as an everyday call. The television actor Shivansh Kotia, from Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, is its most visible young bearer.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: A part of Lord Shiva
- Pronunciation: Shih-VAHNSH
- Namesakes: Shivansh Kotia, an Indian film and television actor known for Star Plus’ most popular longest-running daily show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai.
- Popularity: Shivansh appeared on the U.S. charts for the first time in 2012 at 4,250, with less than 1,500 people named Shivansh worldwide.
Shoumik
Shoumik started out meaning gift of God and has picked up associations with fire and strength along the way. Bangladesh uses it far more than India does, peaking at 3,483 occurrences in 2014, and the US last recorded it in 2010. That makes it a genuinely uncommon choice even inside South Asian communities abroad. Two syllables with an easy -mik landing, and Shou is the natural shortening.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Gift of god, fire, powerful
- Pronunciation: SHOU-mik
- Variations: Shoumikan
- Popularity: Shoumik was last seen in the U.S. in 2010 and had the highest (3,483) occurrences in Bangladesh in 2014.
Shravas
Shravas means praise, glory and fame. It also connects to the Jain ascetic tradition, whose practitioners deliberately detach from the world and its noise in pursuit of self-realization. Holding fame and renunciation in one name is an unusual balance. That tension is what makes this entry stand out on a list full of straightforward virtues. Only five people worldwide were recorded with it in 2014. Sravas is the simpler spelling if the h feels like one letter too many. Either way, your son will spend his life explaining a genuinely interesting idea, which is not the worst inheritance.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Praise, glory, fame
- Pronunciation: SCHRAAH-vaas
- Variations: Sravas, Shravs
- Popularity: Only 5 people were named Shravas worldwide in 2014.
Shrutin
Shrutin means one who has heard, which in Indian thought carries the sense of received wisdom passed down rather than simple listening. Usage data for it is essentially nonexistent, and the feminine Shruti is far more familiar. Two syllables and a soft opening make it gentler than most names ending in a hard consonant. Shrut is the practical short form once the full version has done its work.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: One who has heard
- Pronunciation: SHREW-teen
- Variations: Shrot, Shroti, Shrut
Shwetan
Shwetan means dawn and pure, two images that belong together, and only 20 people worldwide carried it in 2014, every one of them in India. The feminine Shweta is common enough in India to be instantly recognizable, which makes the masculine form feel deliberate rather than obscure. The Shw- opening is the sticking point for English speakers and the reason the Swetan spelling exists. Genuinely unused names are harder to find than parents expect, and this is one.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Dawn, pure
- Pronunciation: SCHWAI-taan
- Variations: Swetan, Sweth, Shwethan
- Popularity: Only 20 people worldwide were named Shwetan in 2014, 100% of which were in India.
Siddha
Siddha means perfected and accomplished, and it functions as a shortened form of Siddhartha, the birth name of the man who became the Buddha. That connection does a lot of quiet work for the name. It stays rare in India without being unheard of there.
- Origin: Hindi, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Perfected, accomplished, Lord Shiva
- Pronunciation: SIDDH-huw
- Variations: Siddh
- Popularity: Siddha has ranked around 11,933th in India in past worldwide counts.
Sudyut
Sudyut captures the moment something shines beautifully, and it was recorded exactly once worldwide, in India, in 2014. It is a compact, old-world word that has never come into circulation as a modern given name. Sudy softens it if you want a warmer everyday form.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Shining beautifully
- Pronunciation: SUUD-yut
- Variations: Sudyot, Sudyum
Sujal
Sujal covers affectionate, sacred water and lotus, and the water imagery is what most families respond to. Some 10,357 people worldwide carried it in 2014, mostly across India and Nepal, making it one of the better-established names on this list. It is easy to say on the first attempt, which is not a small consideration. The Nepalese footballer Sujal Shrestha and the global health advocate Sujal Parikh give it very different but equally solid associations.
- Origin: Jain, Hindi
- Meaning: Affectionate, sacred water, lotus
- Pronunciation: SOO-juhl
- Namesakes: Sujal Shrestha, a Nepalese footballer who plays midfielder for Manang Marshyangdi in the Nepal National League. Sujal Parikh, an American global health advocate, University of Michigan medical student, and an NIH-Fogarty Clinical Research Scholar.
- Popularity: 10,357 people worldwide were named Sujal in 2014, most of which were in India and Nepal.
Suresh
Suresh is the modern form of Suresha, built from sura and isha to give lord of the gods, an epithet of Indra. Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Nepali all use it. At 189th most common worldwide in 2014, it is comfortably the most familiar name here after Bodhi. That familiarity cuts both ways: your son will never have to spell it, and he may well share it. It is a strong name that has aged well rather than dated.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Lord of the gods
- Pronunciation: Suw-REESH
- Variations: Suresha
- Namesakes: Suresh Joshi, an Indian poet, writer, and literary critic. Suresh Kumar, an Indian-American Director-General of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service.
- Popularity: Suresh was the 189th most common name in 2014.
Svojas
Svojas means strong and powerful and connects to Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of beginnings, which is a fitting reference for a first child. In 2020 it ranked around 8,948th worldwide. The Sv- opening is genuinely difficult for English speakers and there is no gentler spelling to fall back on. Weigh that against the meaning before you decide, because this is one of the harder names on the list to carry abroad.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: He who is strong and powerful
- Pronunciation: SVOH-jaas
- Popularity: Svojas was ranked the 8,948th most popular name worldwide in 2020.
Tarakshya
Tarakshya comes out of Hindu myth, attached to a creature that shifts between horse, bird and snake. The name also carries the sense of gold, so it is opulent and strange in equal measure. Just seven people worldwide were recorded with it in 2014, all of them in India. The -kshya cluster makes it the most demanding name here to say, let alone spell. Tarkshya is the shorter transliteration and the one you will see on documents. Tarak trims it further to something workable while keeping the mythological thread. Go in expecting to spell it out for the rest of his life, because that is the deal.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Gold, bird, horse, snake
- Pronunciation: TAAH-raak-shyah
- Variations: Tarkshya
- Popularity: Just 7 people were named Tarakshya worldwide in 2014, all of which occurred in India.
Taral
Taral means honeybee, which is adorable, and it also points at everything brilliant, shining and splendid, which is not. Both readings are genuine, so you get to choose which one you lead with. It sees more use in India than in the US, and it is given to girls more often than boys. No spelling ambiguity comes with it, which makes it one of the easier picks here. The bee reading is the one most families end up telling people about.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Honeybee, brilliant, shining, splendid
- Pronunciation: TER-ael
- Variations: Tarall, Taralle
- Namesakes: Wayne MacDonald, who works under the pen name Taral Wayne, a Canadian science fiction fan artist nominated eleven times for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist.
- Popularity: Taral has experienced usage in India, but is a less common name in the U.S. Recorded counts show at least 2,000 people worldwide named Taral.
Tatpar
Tatpar means doing something deeply, all the way, with nothing held back. Only 12 people worldwide carried it in 2014, all of them in India. Naming a boy after an attitude rather than a trait or a deity is unusual, and Tatpar is the entry here that does it.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Deeply
- Pronunciation: TAHT-paare
- Variations: Tatpara
- Popularity: Only 12 people worldwide were named Tatpar in 2014, all of whom were in India.
Tavish
Tavish arrives from two directions that have nothing to do with each other. In Indian usage it carries the sense of heaven. In Scotland it is an Anglicized form of a Thamhais, the vocative of Tamhas, which is the Gaelic form of Thomas, and it also comes from the surname McTavish. It ranked inside the top 2,190 names in 2022, helped along by bearers such as the Scottish politician Tavish Scott and the Canadian guitarist Tavish Crowe. For a family with both Indian and Scottish roots, this is the rare name that needs no compromise. Nobody will guess which side of the family it came from, which may be exactly what you want.
- Origin: Sanskrit, Scottish
- Meaning: Heaven
- Pronunciation: Taa-VIHSH
- Variations: Thomas, Tàmhas, Tòmas
- Namesakes: Tavish Hamilton Scott, a former Scottish politician who was a Member of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2019 and Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 2008 to 2011. Tavish Crowe, a Canadian guitarist for the singer Carly Rae Jepsen.
- Popularity: Tavish ranked in the top 2,190 most popular names in 2022.
Tejasvat
Tejasvat means splendid, bright and glorious, built on tejas, the word for radiance that runs through several names on this list. Only three people worldwide carried it in 2014, all of them in India. Tejasvi is the shorter, considerably more common variant and the one most people will assume you meant. Try the full version out loud with your surname before you commit, because it is a lot of name.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Splendid, bright, glorious, beautiful
- Pronunciation: TEH-jas-vaat
- Variations: Tejasvi
- Popularity: Only 3 people in 2014 worldwide were named Tejasvat, all of whom were in India.
Ujesh
Ujesh means one who bestows light, and the -esh ending places it in the same family as the many Sanskrit names built to sound like a deity’s title. Even by this list’s standards it is remote, barely registering in Indian name data. Its familiar shape makes it far easier to carry than that rarity suggests. The Zimbabwean cricketer Ujesh Ranchod, who played three one-day internationals in the early 1990s, is one of very few public bearers.
- Origin: Nepali, Sanskrit
- Meaning: One who gives light, one who bestows light
- Pronunciation: UUJ-aish
- Variations: Ujesha
- Namesakes: Ujesh Ranchod, a Zimbabwean former cricketer who played in three One Day International (ODI) matches from 1992 to 1993.
- Popularity: Ujesh has ranked around 35,947th in India in past worldwide counts, a genuinely rare pick.
Vasudev
Vasudev joins the Sanskrit vasu, meaning excellent, good or wealthy, to deva, meaning god. Vasudeva was the father of Krishna, who carries the patronymic form of the name himself, so this is about as central as a name can get in Hindu tradition. Around 1,000th in India and 13,914th in the US as of 2020, it is established at home and unusual abroad. The independence activist Vasudev Balwant Phadke gives it a second, more recent kind of weight. Vasu is the everyday form, and it keeps its own meaning intact.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Lord Krishna’s father, the god of wealth
- Pronunciation: VAA-suw-dehv
- Variations: Vasudeva
- Namesakes: Vasudev Balwant Phadke (also known as the Father Of Indian Armed Rebellion), an Indian independence activist and revolutionary who sought India’s independence from colonial rule.
- Popularity: Vasudev is ranked the 13,914th most popular name in the U.S. in 2020, while in India, Vasudev ranks approximately 1,000th.
Vedhas
Vedhas means knowledge and shares its root with the Vedas, the ancient Hindu scriptures, which is why it sounds ceremonial the moment you hear it. Only 26 people worldwide were recorded with it in 2014, 21 of them in India. A final s is what separates it from the far more common Vedh and Ved. If you want a name that signals learning without announcing it, this is a quiet, handsome option.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Knowledge
- Pronunciation: VAAY-dhah
- Variations: Vedha, Vedas
- Popularity: Only 26 people were named Vedhas worldwide in 2014, with 21 occurring in India.
Vidyut
Vidyut means electricity and lightning, and no other name here is quite so charged. In 2021 it sat inside the top 3,000 worldwide and has been climbing slowly rather than spiking. The actor and martial artist Vidyut Jammwal has done most of the work of making it familiar outside India. The hard t ending gives it a snap that matches the meaning exactly. For a boy you already suspect will be the fastest one in the room, it is hard to beat.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Electricity, power, brilliant, lightning
- Pronunciation: VID-yeut
- Variations: Vidyot
- Namesakes: Vidyut Dev Singh Jammwal, an Indian actor, martial artist, stuntman, and action choreographer who works in Hindi films. Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, an Indian cricketer who played for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy.
- Popularity: Vidyut was ranked within the top 3,000 most popular names worldwide in 2021.
Viraaj
Viraaj means splendor. This is the elongated spelling of Viraj, which is the version you will meet far more often. It sits around 20,051st worldwide, and its US peak came in 2016 with 61 boys given the name. The doubled a lengthens the middle and is the whole difference between the two spellings. Decide which look you want before the birth certificate is filled in, because switching later is a paperwork problem rather than a naming one. It is a genuinely pretty rare name either way. Raj is sitting right there as a short form, already familiar to almost everyone.
- Origin: Sanskrit, Hindi
- Meaning: Splendor
- Pronunciation: VIHR-aaj
- Variations: Viraj
- Popularity: Viraaj is the 20,051st most popular name worldwide, with the highest occurrence in 2016 of 61 boys in the U.S. named Viraaj.
Viyon
Viyon means sky, and it is one of the more modern-sounding entries on this list despite its Hindi roots. Oddly, its heaviest usage is in Nigeria rather than India, which is the kind of quirk that makes a name feel like your own discovery. It belongs to the small group of sky and weather names that read as open rather than heavy.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Sky
- Pronunciation: VEE-yahn
- Popularity: Viyon is more popular in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world.
Yajvan
Yajvan means one who worships and makes offerings, tying the name directly to ritual practice rather than to a deity. Exactly one person worldwide was recorded with it in 2014, in the United Arab Emirates, which makes it the rarest entry here. That -jv- cluster in the middle is the hurdle, and the Yajwan spelling exists mostly to soften it. Expect to introduce this name twice every time, and know that no one will forget it.
- Origin: Sanskrit, Hindi
- Meaning: Worshiped, bestowed, offer
- Pronunciation: YAYJH-vaan
- Variations: Yajwan
- Popularity: Only one person was named Yajvan worldwide in 2014, which occurred in the United Arab Emirates.
Yuvraj
Yuvraj means young prince, literally the son of the king. No meaning on this list is more regal, and yet it is far from the rarest here, which is an unusual combination. Some 85,097 people worldwide received the name in 2014, almost all of them in India, so it is genuinely common at home. The hard j landing gives it a confident finish. The field hockey player Yuvraj Walmiki, known as the Prince of Indian hockey, wears the meaning about as literally as anyone could. Abroad it still reads as distinctive, which is the best of both positions.
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Meaning: Son of the king, young prince
- Pronunciation: YUW-vraaayj
- Variations: Yuvaraja
- Namesakes: Yuvraj Singh, an Indian politician and a MLA from Hamirpur constituency from Uttar Pradesh. Yuvraj Walmiki, an Indian field hockey player from Maharashtra known as the Prince of Indian hockey.
- Popularity: 85,097 people worldwide received the name Yuvraj in 2014 and were primarily located in India.
