Indian Girl Names

The double vowel changes this name's pronunciation and gives it a novel twist.

Sweet and feminine Eastern flower name.

Ilesha is an unusual choice that will undoubtedly be confused with similar and far more common names such as Alicia and Elissa.

Mandara is one of those names that sounds like its meaning -- and calm is certainly a quality worth courting in a child.

For devoted New Agers only: yoga practitioners know this as the center of spiritual energy in the body.

The added h turns Anita alluring and breathy.

Whatever its derivation, best known now in the version used by the jazzy singer, Sade.

Has a sound as lovely as its meaning.

Charismatic choice among January baby names.

In India, Bala is a unisex name, but is likely to be perceived as more feminine in the West. In its feminine form, Bala is associated with the daughter of the red goddess, Lalitha Parameshwari.

Intriguing, if a bit vowel-heavy.

Certain sections of Hindu society believe Subhadra to be a goddess named Yogmaya. Subhadra is one of the three deities worshipped at the Jagannath temple at Puri, along with Krishna(as Jagannatha) and Balarama(or Balabhadra).

Pretty Asian option.

We prefer the softer Shubhadra to the original Subhadra — plus it leads to the irresistible "Shooba" as a nickname.

A mandala is the magic circle of Buddhism and Hinduism, a powerful spiritual symbol used in art to represent the universe. It's also an important symbol in Jungian theory. As a first name, Mandala feels both natural and original, always a positive combination, but parents considering it should make themselves away of its deeper meaning.