Bengali Baby Girl Names with Meanings

Indian Baby Names with Meaning

Bengali parents often name a daughter after Durga, who comes home as Uma every Durga Puja, a heroine of Tagore, or the flowers and rivers of Bengal. Many Bengali girl names are Sanskrit words with a soft Bengali sound, and others, like Hiya and Mohona, are everyday Bengali words. Here are Bengali baby girl names with their meanings and Bengali spellings, from goddess names and literary heroines to classic and modern favourites.

1. Names of Durga and Kali

Durga Puja is Bengal's biggest festival, and the agomoni songs sung before it welcome Durga as Uma, a married daughter coming home to her parents for a few days each autumn. Kali Puja follows on the new-moon night of Diwali, and Kali is worshipped at famous temples such as Kalighat and Dakshineswar in Kolkata. These goddess names are among the most loved in Bengal.

Names For Girls

NameMeaning
DurgaThe invincible goddess, worshipped at Durga Puja (দুর্গা)
UmaParvati; in Bengal, Durga is welcomed home as Uma, the daughter (উমা)
GauriThe fair one; a name of Parvati (গৌরী)
AparnaParvati, who fasted without even a leaf to eat (অপর্ণা)
ShyamaThe dark one; a name of Kali (শ্যামা)
TaraA star; also the goddess Tara of Tarapith (তারা)
AnnapurnaThe giver of food; a form of Parvati (অন্নপূর্ণা)
AmbikaThe mother; a name of Durga (অম্বিকা)

2. Names from Tagore and Bengali Literature

Tagore wrote many strong, memorable women into his stories, novels, plays and dance dramas, and Bengali parents still choose their names. Satyajit Ray filmed two of these stories, Nastanirh as Charulata (1964) and Ghare Baire (1984), bringing Charulata and Bimala to a wider audience. Other names here honour the women of Tagore's own family.

Names For Girls

NameMeaning
CharulataA beautiful creeper; heroine of Tagore's Nastanirh, filmed by Satyajit Ray as Charulata (চারুলতা)
BimalaPure; heroine of Tagore's Ghare Baire (বিমলা)
LabanyaGrace, charm; heroine of Tagore's Shesher Kobita (লাবণ্য)
NandiniDelight; heroine of Tagore's play Raktakarabi (নন্দিনী)
ChitrangadaThe warrior princess of Tagore's dance drama (চিত্রাঙ্গদা)
MrinaliniA lotus stalk; also Tagore's wife, Mrinalini Devi (মৃণালিনী)
KadambariThe title of Banabhatta's classic Sanskrit romance; also Kadambari Devi, Tagore's sister-in-law and literary companion (কাদম্বরী)

3. Names from the Flowers and Rivers of Bengal

The Bengal delta is shaped by great rivers such as the Padma, the main channel of the Ganges in Bangladesh, and the Teesta, which flows down from Sikkim through north Bengal. Flowers like shiuli and bakul are part of everyday Bengali life. The shiuli blooms in early autumn, and its falling flowers are a sign that Durga Puja is near.

Names For Girls

NameMeaning
PadmaThe great river of Bengal; also the lotus (পদ্মা)
TeestaThe river of north Bengal (তিস্তা)
ShiuliThe night jasmine, the flower of the Durga Puja season (শিউলি)
BakulA small, fragrant flower (বকুল)
MalatiA jasmine flower (মালতী)
BrishtiRain (বৃষ্টি)
ShrabaniBorn in Shraban, the month of the monsoon (শ্রাবণী)

4. Classic Bengali Girl Names

These names were popular through the twentieth century and are still given today. Some are linked to well loved Bengali stars such as the actresses Suchitra Sen and Sharmila Tagore. Others, like Paromita and Sudeshna, come from Buddhist thought and the Mahabharata.

Names For Girls

NameMeaning
SharmilaModest, shy (শর্মিলা)
SuchitraA beautiful picture; after the actress Suchitra Sen (সুচিত্রা)
MousumiThe monsoon wind (মৌসুমী)
ParomitaPerfection; the wisdom that crosses over (পারমিতা)
AnanyaUnique, without equal (অনন্যা)
SudeshnaThe queen of King Virata in the Mahabharata (সুদেষ্ণা)
RupaSilver; also form and beauty (রূপা)

5. Modern Bengali Girl Names

Many modern Bengali girl names are short and soft, often just two or three syllables, and are easy to say in any language. Some, like Hiya and Mohona, are everyday Bengali words, while Ahana, Oishi and Ishani go back to Sanskrit. They suit parents who want a name that is Bengali at heart but modern in sound.

Names For Girls

NameMeaning
AhanaThe dawn; the first rays of the sun (অহনা)
OishiDivine (ঐশী)
TithiA lunar day (তিথি)
IshaniA name of Parvati, consort of Ishan (Shiva) (ঈশানী)
AnweshaA quest, a search (অন্বেষা)
HiyaThe heart (হিয়া)
MohonaThe mouth of a river, where it meets the sea (মোহনা)

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