India

♀ Girl

Pronounced IN-dee-ah /ˈɪn.di.ə/Low

Meaning: Land of the Indus River; from Sanskrit sindhu meaning riverLow

In 30 seconds: India is a geographic name of ancient Sanskrit origin referring to the land of the Indus River. As a girl's name it has been used in English-speaking countries since the 19th century, evoking the mystery, beauty, and cultural richness of the Indian subcontinent.

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Origin LowGreek, Latin, Sanskrit

MeaningLand of the Indus River; from Sanskrit sindhu meaning river

U.S. rank (2025)#1722 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births118 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2001

Total births (all-time)≈ 23,986

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

India derives from the Greek Indike and Latin India, from the Sanskrit sindhu meaning river. The name was used for the region beyond the Indus River. As a given name it appeared in Britain in the colonial era.

India as a given name has been used in British aristocratic families and in the American South. It has a distinctive, exotic, historically rich quality and remains an unusual geographic name choice.

Did you know? The word India comes from Greek and Latin forms of the Sanskrit sindhu meaning river. Alexander the Great's campaigns brought this word to Greece, and it eventually named both the subcontinent and the ocean.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name: India

Variations

IndieIndeaIndiana

Nicknames

IndieIndi

Famous Bearers

★India Eisley (b. 1993)
American actress known for The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Underworld: Awakening

If you like India…

Indiana— Extended form of same geographic root

Egypt— Geographic name used as girl name

Sierra— Geographic nature name for girls

Savannah— Geographic name evoking beauty and nature

Explore names like India

By themesanskrit three-syllable historical geographic british exotic

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Frequently Asked

What does India mean as a name?

India means land of the Indus River from the Sanskrit sindhu meaning river, reaching English through Greek and Latin.

Is India a popular name?

India is a distinctive name used in British aristocratic families and increasingly in the United States for girls who want a unique geographic name.

How do you pronounce India?

India is pronounced IN-dee-ah with three syllables.

What names are similar to India?

Similar geographic names include Indiana, Egypt, Sierra, and Savannah.