Meaning: “smile; wonder; miracle; astonishment” also “arrogance and pride.”
May be a variant transciption of the Arabic, Sumeyya
Pron: (SMIGH-yuh), rhymes with Maya
Technically unisex in Indian culture; feminine in Arabic
The name has come into recent use in India. It is most likely derived from the Sanskrit word स्मय (smaya), meaning “smile, wonder; surprise; astonishment.” Yet, it can also mean “arrogance; pride.” It is from the same Indo-European root as the English word, “smile.” The Danish female name, Smilla, is also related. All of these are ultimately derived from Indo-European root *smey- (to laugh, be glad, wonder).
It’s mainly used as a female name, but it does appear as the name of male character in the Purana.
It can also be a variant transliteration of the Arabic female name, Sumeyya.
In the Hindu religion, Varahi is the name of one of the seven Matrikas (mother-goddesses). She is represented with a boar’s head. In Nepal, she is venerated as Barahi. She is especially venerated in Shaktism.
The name is from the Sanskrit वराही (varahi) meaning, “wild sow.” It is also the Sanskrit name for a species of sweet potato known scientifically as Ipomoea batatas.
The name is from the Sanskrit हरिण (harina), which can refer to a doe as well as to a yellowish-greenish colour, such as tawny or green. It is used to refer to yellow jasmine as well as to an idol made of gold. Harini (doe) is also used to describe one of four classes of a type of woman, feminine and sweet like a doe. It is also an epithet for the goddess Lakshmi.
Pron: (HERSH; HER-shuh; HERSH-e-NEE, some dialects HERSH-nee); HERSH-ee-kuh; HERSH-ee-tuh; HERSH-VERD-the-nuh)
From the Sanskrit root हर्ष (harsa) meaning “joy; delight; excitement.” It can also refer to sexual excitement or an erection. In Hinduism, Harsha is one of the twenty-four emanations of the celestial couple, Lakshmi and Narayana. It is also the name of one of the three sons of Dharmadeva and the husband of Nandi (also meaning “joy).
Harsha itself is unisex but is more common on males. It was born by a 7th-century Emperor of Kannauj of the Pushyabhuti dynasty in Northern India, also known as Harshvardhana or Harsh-Vardhana, and several other medieval Indian Kings as well as a 12th-century C.E. Sanskrit epic poet. A strictly masculine form is Harsh (HERSH).
Harshvardhana or sometimes spelled Harsh Vardhana is a masculine double name which means “increasingly happy,” being composed of the Sanskrit words, हर्ष (harsa) and वर्धन vardhana (increase; growth).
The feminine offshoot of Harshika derives from the same root but also refers to a type of musical metre.
Another feminine form is Harshini, which derives from the Sanskrit adjective हर्षिन् (harSin) meaning “delightful; joyful.” Harshini is also the name of a type of plant. This beautiful name is not pronounced har-SHEE-nee, but more like HERSH-e-nee or HERSH-nee, like Hershey Chocolate Kisses. There is also just Harshi, pronounced like Hershey.
And another female form is Harshita, which is of the same root being from the Sanskrit हर्षित (harsita) meaning, “pleased; gladdened; joy; happy; delight; charmed” or “made to stand erect.”
In Eastern Religions, a rishi is an accomplished or enlightened person or a yogi who has composed hymns or Vedas. In the Vedas, it also refers to an inspired poem or hymn. In Buddhism, it may refer to a monk of high rank or a Buddha. The word itself may be derive from the Sanskrit root ṛṣ meaning “to move; to flow.”
Rishi is currently a common Indian male name, it is born by the current British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.
In the U.S., it currently ranks in as the 968th most popular male name (2023) and the 790th most popular in the U.K. and Wales (2021).
The name comes directly from the Hindi word वीर (vira), meaning “hero; brave,” which is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit.
Alternately, this can be a Female name, in which case, it is the Limburgish form of Vera.
As of 2023, the name appears in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Male Names, ranking in at #975, in England and Wales, it is the 577th most popular male name.
Meaning: “praiseworthy; new; new bride; navigable; boat; sailor.”
Gender: feminine
Pronunciation: NAHV-ee-uh; NUV-ee-yuh
The name comes directly from the Sanskrit नव्य (navya) which could either mean “praiseworthy; new,” also could be used to describe a newly married woman. Alternately, the same word could mean “navigable; boat” or “sailor.” It ultimately comes from the Indo-European root word, n*ehaus (boat), which also gave us the modern English word “navy.”
The name comes directly from the Sanskrit word for daughter, which ultimately derives from the Sanskrit word नन्दि (nandi) meaning, “joy; delight; rejoice.”
In Hinduism, it is one of the many epithets for the goddess Durga.
