Declining since 2002, #1,721 for girls today.
Popularity of India since 1880
Babies named India per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 154 |
| 1890s | 196 |
| 1900s | 149 |
| 1910s | 264 |
| 1920s | 289 |
| 1930s | 151 |
| 1940s | 250 |
| 1950s | 424 |
| 1960s | 356 |
| 1970s | 1,611 |
| 1980s | 3,788 |
| 1990s | 6,112 |
| 2000s | 6,361 |
| 2010s | 2,610 |
| 2020s | 1,275 |
Meaning & origin
India is a geographical name that entered the American naming pool in the late 19th century, with the first recorded use in 1880. It reached its peak popularity in 2001, ranking 111th nationally, but has been declining steadily since 2002, falling to rank 1721 in 2025. The name maintains a strong Southern presence, ranking highest in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. At its current rate of about 1 in 13,621 births, India remains a distinctive choice with a clear, globally recognized origin.
India is a modern given name derived directly from the country name, itself from the River Indus (from Sanskrit Sindhu). It has been used as a girl's name in English-speaking countries since at least the late 19th century, likely inspired by the British colonial presence in India. The name saw a rise in popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Where India is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“India” around the world
Where India lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
15
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Indi, Indy, Dia
Sibling names for India
Names that share India's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like India
Names whose popularity has moved with India's over the last 50 years.
