India
India is a feminine given name derived from the name of the country India, which itself takes its name from the Indus River. The name was used for India Wilkes, a character in the novel and film Gone with the Wind. Its use for girls in England began during the British rule in India during the 19th century.
Meaning & Origin of India
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
India is a feminine given name derived from the name of the country India, which itself takes its name from the Indus River. The name was used for India Wilkes, a character in the novel and film Gone with the Wind. Its use for girls in England began during the British rule in India during the 19th century.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of India
India first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2001, when 1,049 Indias were born — ranking #299 that year. As of 2026, India ranks #1,428 for baby girls with 155 births, falling sharply (-33%). In total, more than 24K Indias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named India
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Princess India of Afghanistan (1929–2023), Afghan royal
- India (actress) (born 1977), American pornographic actress, singer and rapper
- India Adams (1927–2020), American singer
- India Allen (born 1965), American Playboy model
- India Arie (born 1975), American singer-songwriter
- India de Beaufort (born 1987), English actress
- India Jane Birley (born 1961), British artist and businesswoman
- India Boyer (1907–1998), American architect
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like India
Phonetically similar names — useful when India is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about India
What does the name India mean?
How popular is India in 2026?
When was India most popular?
In which U.S. states is India most popular?
Is India a unisex name?
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About the name India
India is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 24K births in the dataset. India's peak popularity came in 2001 when it ranked #299. Use the chart and map above to compare India's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2001 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.