From Abhimanyu to Anay, Muskan to Myra: How Baby Names Changed Over the Years
If you are a new parent or soon to become one, then baby names are definitely something you constantly must be thinking about. And rightly so, since the child will always be associated with that name. In India naming babies is altogether a ceremony in itself called, ‘Namkaran’. However, with changing times, baby names have also evolved to have a more modern and unique sound. From Raha to Aarav, beautiful baby names are in abundance, which at times becomes overwhelming for parents when they need to decide upon one.
The name Raha translates into peace of mind, happiness, and bliss. A name apt for both girls and boys, Raha name meaning free will, is the perfect combination of tradition and modernism. Raha name origin can be found in many cultures. The meaning of Raha is often what attracts parents to it. Aarav is another modern name that is quite popular among boys. The name symbolizes thunder and heroism. Anvika, meaning power and accomplishment, is a unique name for baby girls. Navya is another popular Hindu name for baby girls. It stands for youth and praiseworthy.
Recent years have also seen millennial parents naming their children with a combination derived from their own names or initials. Master cricketer Virat Kohli and actress Anushka Sharma chose to name their daughter Vamika, which includes the initials of both Virat and Anushka. Vamika means Goddess Durga.
For baby boys, Daksh is a major hit among parents. It signifies competence and intelligence. Misha is another popular modern name for girls. It means eternal happiness and a message bearer from god. Actor Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira Rajput have named their daughter Misha. Nowadays, very short names are all the rage. Ansh, Anay, and Atharv for boys, and Myra, Isha, and Zara for girls.
Ansh is an Indian origin name that means a part or portion. Anay is said to be one of Lord Krishna’s names meaning, ‘who has no leader’. It also stands for value and time. Atharv is a Vedic text of Sanskrit origin meaning knowledge. Myra, quite popular among girls, translates into beloved, favourable, and admirable. Zara meaning radiance is a variation of Zahrah, a name derived from Arabic roots meaning blooming flower.
Isha which translates into the one who protects is also very popular among baby girls. Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt starrer ‘Brahmastra’ might ring a bell when you hear Isha. Bhatt played the character of Isha in the Ayan Mukherji directional.
In the West, there is also a culture of naming babies based on months, weekdays, places, and even direction. TV personality Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West have named their children quite uniquely. The couple, now separated, share four children, among whom two are named North West and Chicago West.
However, in India this tradition is not very appreciated, instead, people tend to go for names having deeper meanings. Well, since we are already talking about baby names one cannot miss the controversy regarding actor couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor naming their firstborn. There was a whole lot of criticism that the duo attracted when they announced the decision of naming their son Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi. The fuss was created as Taimur is synonymous with Timur, an infamous Mughal conqueror.
Did you know, that there are countries that have laws in place regarding baby names? Looks like baby names are after all a very serious business. In Germany, you must be able to tell the gender of the child by the first name. Also one cannot use the names of objects or products as first names. Denmark also has a very strict Law on Personal Names. Parents can choose from a list of only 7,000 pre-approved names.
Coming back to Indian baby names, Ziva is another unique pick for baby girls. Legendary cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his wife Sakshi Dhoni have named their daughter Ziva. It translates into radiance, brilliance, light, brightness, and light of God. For boys, Eshan, one of the names of Lord Shiva is a good pick. It means desiring, impulse, supreme, and master. Taksh is another popular pick for baby boys.
