Rising since 1988, #3,780 for girls today.
Popularity of Indira since 1966
Babies named Indira per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 90 |
| 1970s | 241 |
| 1980s | 352 |
| 1990s | 466 |
| 2000s | 611 |
| 2010s | 465 |
| 2020s | 251 |
Meaning & origin
Indira has been recorded in the U.S. since 1966, but it saw a notable rise beginning in 1988, reflecting broader interest in names from the Indian subcontinent. Its peak year was 2001, and as of 2025 it ranked 3780 nationally, with approximately 1 in 41,212 baby girls receiving the name that year. The name is most popular in New York, likely due to the state's large Indian American community. While never a mainstream choice, Indira carries a distinguished aura, partly due to its association with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Its Sanskrit origin and connection to the goddess Lakshmi lend it a sense of elegance and cultural depth.
Indira is a Sanskrit name derived from the element 'indu' meaning 'drop' or 'moon', and 'ira' meaning 'possessing'. It is an epithet of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, who embodies beauty, prosperity, and good fortune. The name has been widely used in India and among the Indian diaspora, and gained global recognition through Indira Gandhi, the first female Prime Minister of India.
Where Indira is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Indira” around the world
Where Indira lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
20
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Indu, Indi
Sibling names for Indira
Names that share Indira's style, for a brother or sister.
