India (given name)


India is a feminine given name derived from the name of the country India, which takes its name from the Indus River. The name was used for India Wilkes, a character in the novel and movie Gone with the Wind. Its use for girls in England began during the British rule in India during the 19th century. It has been used for daughters of aristocratic families in England that had ties to Colonial India, such as India Hicks. Just like names derived from seasons like Summer, Dawn, Solstice, Autumn are feminine, India is internationally recognized as a female name since it is the name of a country and it had been used as a feminine given name for more than hundred years in England and the U.S. Although India is a feminine given name in the world, it is not a popular given name in India. Girls who are given this name are usually called with a nickname "Indy", or "Indie" which are also given names for girls in English speaking countries.
It was the 217th most popular name for girls born in England and Wales in 2007. It has been in use in the United States as a girls name since at least 1880, the earliest year records are available. The name has ranked in the top 1,000 most popular names for girls in the United States since 1970. It was the 690th most popular name for girls born in the United States in 2007, down from 567th place in 2006. Prior to 1970, it had last ranked among the top 1,000 names given to girls in that country between 1900 and 1910.

People named India