names for adopted daughter from India

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
names for adopted daughter from India
24
Tue, 12-07-2004 - 10:02pm

Hi, there, I'm new here although I lurk occasionally. My husband and I are on the waiting list to adopt a daughter from India. We hope to keep her given name if it's at all workable, but want to give her a new, more Western-sounding Indian name if her given name is too difficult. Here's a list of Indian names we like and their meanings.

Bela- a flower-jasmine
Ela- earth/cardamom tree
Leela- divine play
Maya- illusion
Meera- poetess
Mirium- wished-for child
Neela- blue
Nina- lovely-eyed
Raina- night
Sarala- simple/straight, honest (we'd probably call her Sara)
Tarana- a musical composition (call her Tara?)
Vani- voice, muse (this doesn't really go with our last name, but we like the meaning)

Which ones do you guys like best? Our sons' names are Sam and Luke, so we tend to like short, simple names. Also, would it be OK to do the name elimination game in addition to this post? Thanks!

Julie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 12-08-2004 - 9:14pm

Bela- a flower-jasmine- I like this name-it has an international flavor to it. I like Bella though.
Ela- earth/cardamom tree-too common and trendy now. I like Ella better.
Leela- divine play-pretty and not too common
Maya- illusion-also has an international flavor-it is a name in many cultures.
Meera- poetess-never heard of it. I like it.
Mirium- wished-for child-I love this name but only spelled Miriam. But not with Sam and Luke.
Neela- blue-LOVE!!
Nina- lovely-eyed-LOVE!!
Raina- night-OK
Sarala- simple/straight, honest (we'd probably call her Sara)-too common
Tarana- a musical composition (call her Tara?)-nms but I like Tara alone.
Vani- voice, muse (this doesn't really go with our last name, but we like the meaning)-nms.

From your choices I think Neela/Nina work best. I think Neela is the name of the Indian doctor on ER. I could be wrong. She is pretty and smart : ) Next, I like Bella or Maya.

Avatar for cathylarson
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 12-08-2004 - 10:31pm

Congratulations on your future daughter. How exciting! Adoption is an amazing experience. You have lots of very pretty names to choose from. Maya, Neela, Raina & Nina are my favorites. Mirium has such an appropriate meaning. I don't know which one I'd choose !

Guess I am just going to be no help at all LOL

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-16-2003
Wed, 12-08-2004 - 11:17pm
I like Nina & Mirium. Both for their meaning & with your boys names; Sam, Luke & Nina OR Sam, Luke & Mirium are a great sibling set. GL to you!
Andi

Andi


iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2003
Wed, 12-08-2004 - 11:23pm

hi Julie,


CONGRATULATIONS!!!


I strongly enthusiastically believe in adoption- International adoption is particularly special.


I studied Indian culture in University & study Hinduism, Yoga & Indian culture now for my design work.


Here are some names: (hinunet.org is very useful)


Mara


Marisa .... mother of Daksa


Mallika

 Katrina
Avatar for strawberrywild
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 12-09-2004 - 3:03am

From your list i like Bela, Maya, and Raina. I like Maya the best out of them and I also like the name Ela except i don't like the spelling. I prefer Ella. I wouldn't mind naming my future daughter that except my husband's last name is Ly...so it doesn't sound good together.

Trai

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Thu, 12-09-2004 - 10:42am

Thanks to everyone for your input! It has really helped. Based on your responses and the eliminate the name game I posted below, I've narrowed it down to the following choices:

Maya (very pretty, easy to spell and pronounce, goes great with our last name)
Meera (same)
Mirium (LOVE the name and the meaning ... but I have a cousin named Miriam, so not sure how to handle that)
Neela (very pretty, obviously Indian but not strange to American ears, easily spelled and pronounced, and my dh's MN is Neal)
Nina (very sweet, very simple, goes great with our last name and our boys' names, lovely Hindi meaning)

I like Raina, too, but I have a feeling that it's not pronounced like it looks and I would rather stick with an Indian name that can basically be pronounced correctly by Americans.

Thanks again for all your input!

Julie

ps - for whoever said she admired families like us ... we're not admirable, we just want a daughter :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2003
Thu, 12-09-2004 - 2:31pm

Hi Julie, I do "admire" families like you - b/c my sister & I both could

 Katrina
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Thu, 12-09-2004 - 5:07pm

Katrina,

I wouldn't say it makes me uncomfortable, necessarily. It's just a little surprising to me that anyone would admire us for making the decision to adopt when the main reason for our doing so is, let's face it, selfish. I don't want to go through another pregnancy (and possible have a boy), but I really want a daughter. Yes, it makes me feel good to know we're going to adopt a child who might otherwise grow up in an orphanage without much of a chance in life, but that is not the main motivation for us to adopt.

But like you, I'm also surprised by the number of people who would never consider adoption ... even those who have fertility problems. I never realized there was so much prejudice out there against adopted children. I've run into so many people (including family) who think all adopted children are destined to have severe emotional problems. The truth is we researched adoption for over four years before choosing a country, agency, and orphanage, and we think we have made the right choice for our family.

Thanks for your well wishes and positive thoughts!

Julie

- I've wondered about the spelling of some of these names as well. For now, I'm sticking to the spellings I've found in the Indian baby names guides I've found online.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-08-2004
Thu, 12-09-2004 - 5:14pm

Hi, I made an earlier post and mentioned that I just completed a paper re: international adoption. Since I still have a few finishing touches to put on it before turning it in, I'm wondering if you (jkathey) would be willing to swap a few emails with me outside the iVillage message boards. If so, I think I can still send the emails through iVillage so you can remain anonymous if you'd like. I don't want to intrude, but I think my paper may benefit from what you may have to share with me.

Thanks in advance.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Thu, 12-09-2004 - 11:11pm

to "ab2203"

I sent you a message by clicking on your user name and then "send email." Not sure if that goes to your regular email address or not. Let me know if there is some other way to make contact without posting my email address on the board.

Julie