Presidential hopeful and former Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley was born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa. Her given first name is significant in Sikh culture as one of the Five Virtues — nimarata (also Anglicized as nimrata) represents humility.
 
Haley has gone by her middle name, Nikki, since birth. In Punjabi, nikk means "little one", and youngest children are often nicknamed Nikki or Nikku (for girls and boys, respectively). Nikki was a clever cross-cultural choice for the Randhawas' American-born daughter. Coincidentally, Nikki peaked in popularity as a given name in the US in 1972, the year Haley was born.
 
For her own children, Haley chose the Sikh names Rena and Nalin.

Nimarata

Nimarata Origin and Meaning