Indian Baby Names - Blending The Modern, Traditional And Religious
31768
Home & Family > Toddlers
May 19, 2007
mwbarrows
Indian Baby Names - Blending The Modern, Traditional And Religious
As you can expect from one of the most populated (over 1billion) countries in the world and the one with fastest growing population, there are literally thousands of Indian baby names to choose from. This must create a few headaches for the new Indian parent. Well...probably not, because, as a country which is still deeply rooted in history and tradition, choosing names for new babies is often a religion or family-specific event. Large numbers of Indian names have their origins in Sanskrit meanings. These tend to be Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain names. However, despite the western association of India with Hindus and the high-profile Sikh population, the religious makeup of the Indian population is actually quite surprising: The 2001 Census reveals the religious make-up of the Indian population as follows: 80.5% Hindu, 13.4% Muslim, 2.3% Christian, 1.9% Sikh, 0.8% Buddhist, 0.4% Jain, 0.01% Zoroastrian, 1.3% other (2001) As you can see, the second largest section of the population is Muslim and, even more surprisingly, the third largest is Christian. This means that Indian baby name choice covers an extremely wide range from very traditional Muslim, through to biblical names. Wherever you live in the world, selecting a name for a newborn child has always been a complex, fascinating and sometimes quite stressful process. In India, for thousands of years, baby name selection for the majority Hindu population was performed according to a traditional system, one that eliminated personal bias and reflected, according to astrological principles, the best qualities that the child was supposed to grow up with. The name was usual chosen after calculations involving the horoscope, the exact time and place of birth, as well as the traditional textual links between numbers so derived and letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. This was an extremely complex process, requiring a very deep knowledge of the ancient texts as well as their applicability in normal or special circumstances. Specialized training was required as well as a thorough grounding in the methodologies and processes of the Rites and Rituals dimension of the Hindu Religion, known as the Karma Kanda. Whew!! Not quite the same as opening up a book of Indian baby names... Modern-day India is a real melting pot of different religions, with different baby-naming rituals, however the religious connections and connotations remain as strong as ever. The meanings of names are very important in Indian culture. With literally thousands of gods and goddesses to choose from, as well as the deeply-rooted traditions of honoring ancestors, the Indian baby naming process remains a fascinating and spiritual one. However, with the rapid growth of the Indian economy and its accelerating adoption of western culture, Indian parents are also beginning to turn to more modern methods of finding names for their children - as well as more modern names. For example, there are many Internet sites, full of excellent lists of Indian baby names, together with their roots and meanings. These are great sources of ideas for names. But - as with any baby name, the process of choosing a more modern or stylish Indian baby name can lead to major problems, created when a child is given a name with a bad meaning. In more secular societies, this may not be much of an issue, but in Indian society this could be disastrous for the future of the child. So, if you are a modern Indian parent-to-be, searching for a name for your new baby, think for a while and make use of the extensive baby name resources on the Internet and elsewhere. The blend of the modern, traditional and religious is not an easy one - in fact the difficulties of naming an Indian child are a real reflection of India's own struggles to balance its traditions with its hunger to be a modern, 21st century country.
Michael Barrows' website has great info on baby names and lots of baby name lists and baby resources. Get your free ebook packed with baby tips for new parents, visit the Indian baby names website.
send email to mwbarrows
Write a Review
Add to My Favorite
Refer it to Friend
Report Article
Other links owned by this user
Baby blankets and baby baedding is lovely and cosy - but it can alsobe dangerous. This article explores the dangers and explains the simple precautions you can take to avoid the dangers.
Category:
Convenience makes disposable diapers the only choice for millions of parents. But cloth diapers are making a strong comeback. This article explores the various advantages and disadvantages of cloth and disposable diapers.
Category:
Used car seats - great bargains, but potential death traps! This article guides you through the process of buying a used car seat to ensure that you so so safely.
Category:
Baby monitors are great parenting tools. But how do you choose a good one? This article gives some top tips on what to consider when buying a baby monitor.
Category:
The popularity of baby names is really good measure of changing times and cultural changes. This article anaylses the trends in popular baby names in the US and UK over the last 100 years.
Category:
There are lots of different types of baby carriers on the market. This article gives some tips on how to choose the best baby carrier for you.
Category:
Punk hairstyles are unique and colorful. This article looks at the development of punk hairstyles since the 1970s and examines the modern trends in punk hairstyles.
Category:
Baby girl names can be unique, exotic and downright strange. This article examines some of the recent trends in naming baby girls and their possible consequences.
Category:
Its interesting to follow baby naming trends over the years. So what were the most popular baby names of 2005? This article investigates the 2005 top baby names in the USA and UK.
Category:
African American parents face several dilemmas when naming their children. This article examines the issues of cultural awareness, vs the potential disadvantages of choosing African American baby names.
Category:
Indian baby names and deeply rooted in tradition and religion. This article explores the history of indian baby names and how things are changing in the modern world.
Category:
Need some good baby shower games ideas - check out the Web! This articles describes a few of the great baby shower games that you can buy on teh Internet.
Category:
Disposable diapers are wonderfully convenient. However, many questions are being asked about their envionmental effects. This article explores this issue and highlights several other possible dangers of using disposable diapers.
Category:
Biblical baby names names have always been popular in America. This article explains why and identifies the most popular biblical baby names.
Category:
Tom Cruise's new baby Suri provides another entry into the wonderful world of celebrity baby names - and the name confirms why you should do your research before naming your baby! Michael Barrows explains.
Category:
People talk about African baby names, but is there really such a thing? This article looks at the range of influences that affect baby naming traditions on the large and very diverse African continent.
Category:
Italian baby names sound beautiful and usually have nice meanings. This article explores Italian baby naming traditions and highlights which names are currently the most popular.
Category:
Many celebrity baby names are very strange indeed. This article examines why celebrities choose strange names for their babies and investigates the weirdest ones of all
Category:
Baby jewelry can be simple and low-cost, but its effect can last for generations. This article looks at the various types of baby jewelry available and explains to how to choose the most relevant.
Category:
What are the trends in baby boy names in the UK and the US? This article examines the continuing popularity of more traditional baby boy names in a rapidly changing society.
Category:
Other links at Home & Family > Toddlers
Little kids see them everywhere... in the neighborhood, on play dates with friends, in pre-school, and in mall pet shops. Puppies, kittens, guinea pigs, hamsters, fish, birds, rabbits, gerbils - there's an unlimited supply of animal companions for childre
Category:
How about a personalized Christmas stocking for your baby? This is something that could become a treasured possession for years to come and can be passed down from one generation to another.
Category:
Not every family will have the financial ability to buy the nice things that you can for your baby. Here are some useful way to help others with your used baby clothes...
Category:
Every parent wants to take an active role in rearing their child and many choose to concentrate their efforts on developing muscle building exercises for babies that can be done in the car, or in the crib at home.
Category:
It is astonishing how many parents and caregivers are not aware that shaking a baby can cause death or serious injury.
Category:
Site Sponsor
Directory Statistics
Articles: 68285
Categories: 501
Yahoo Entertainment
