Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Baby Name for Sikh/English girl

81 replies

NewDad2018 · 09/08/2018 10:43

Hi all...

This may be the totally wrong place to ask ...but I could do with help

So.. The background

I'm a sikh (turban wearing) man...who married a blonde blue eyed english woman. Been married a looooong time.

We have now had a baby girl.

So... now we have an issue finding a name that works.

Constraints from us both.

The don't wants :
totally English name,
totally Indian name,
long name that will just get shortened anyway,

a name that is muslim/arabic in origin or attachment.

Please Help!!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
AtticaRose · 10/08/2018 08:06

Ah ok. You said not Muslim/Arabic, but I didn't realise you didn't want Hindu names either.

Right. Tricky. Trying to think outside the box for non-Indian non-UK names that both can pronounce...

Danika
Priya
Mia
Eleri
Cara
Coral
Serena
Selena
Eliana (Ell-ee-ah-na)
Hera
Astra
Anna

IggyAce · 10/08/2018 08:03

Two sisters who have Indian and English heritage are Anita and Anthea.

wizzywig · 10/08/2018 07:52

Is simran still popular?

MrsCobbit · 10/08/2018 07:50

Dara, Kirin

Bristolgal · 10/08/2018 07:42

Ella
Erwin
Tia
Laila
Siana

Or, out of the box:

Dana (pn Day-na)
Deanna (pn Dee-anna)
Dora
Faye
Miriam
Tamsin
Erin
Orla
Ivy
Hanna

Congratulations on your baby girl!

zen1 · 10/08/2018 06:48

Surina / Serena
Sukhi
Anika
Zena
Zareena

howrudeforme · 09/08/2018 23:59

Thing is if you don’t want names ‘totally English or Indian’ - you could call your dd Ivana/Gertrude/Sade/sinaed etc and then think they don’t represent you.

In the end my parents gave me an English (but common in the world) name that was similar to an old Bollywood actress and also the character of a uk 1960s series that they liked. Have my two grans’ names as middle names.

My son has exh surname (and it’s pure comedy) so we plumped for a very boring English name (that has xh language very similar sounding equivalent) and the two grandads’ names as middle names.

Asian and English names are not that incompatible. Take a look at your dd and see what name you both think suits her self.

hellololly · 09/08/2018 23:52

Riva

hellololly · 09/08/2018 23:52

Nina
May
Ria
Vida
Raya
Leah/Lia

sleepyhead · 09/08/2018 23:37

Rona, Tiree, Skye, Iona

AlexaShutUp · 09/08/2018 23:32

most importantly, easy to pronounce in both languages

Yes, this was a key consideration for us too. Also, no odd meanings in either language!Grin

saraheyes · 09/08/2018 23:31

Khivi - wife of Guru Angad Dev Ji Smile

AlexaShutUp · 09/08/2018 23:31

Hello OP. We have the same mix - I'm British, DH is Punjabi. We really struggled with names for our dd. I didn't like a lot of the English names that DH would have chosen and the Indian names that I liked were mostly Hindu - very few of the Sikh names appealed to me.

Eventually, as DD has a Punjabi surname, we decided to give her an English first name and a Punjabi middle name. We both "approved" both names. DH and I are happy with the choice that we made, as it reflects both sides of her heritage. Luckily, dd likes her name too!

LucyFox · 09/08/2018 23:13

I really like Anita - very underused
Or something like Annika/Annica could work as it’s neither language yet works in both ...
Lila (Lie-la)
Rebecca
Davina
Gina (jee -na )
Jessa
Susanna, Suki
Yasmin
Zena, Zara/Zahra

Redteapot67 · 09/08/2018 23:12

Meena is pretty
Zara might work too??

howrudeforme · 09/08/2018 23:07

Nina/jasmine (but I prefer Yasmin)/Rosie

howrudeforme · 09/08/2018 23:05

NewDad

Well I’m old. My Asian dm and English dd wanted a name that was simple and,most importantly, easy to pronounce in both languages. Plenty of options.

My ds has a father of yet another country and we both wanted names that were sort of recognisable in all our cultures and also easy to articulate. Fewer options and my liking of ‘jake’ was out the window when mil nearly choked trying to pronounce it 🤭

hurrythefuckupgeorge · 09/08/2018 23:04

My friends Sikh/Scottish daughter is called Ria. No idea the origins but I love it

MinaPaws · 09/08/2018 22:59

Top of the list: Anya

Mina
Nina
Mira
Anjeli
Anita
Sufia

Redteapot67 · 09/08/2018 22:59

A tough one!

Leena
Laila
Priya
Tia

Or I guess you stop trying to find a compromise name and go maybe English first name, Sikh second name as I guess she’s already got a Sikh sounding surname?
Next child Wink you swap

moredoll · 09/08/2018 22:56

Sasha.
Zara
Anna
Amber

ConferencePear · 09/08/2018 22:55

Layla/ Leila ?

pieceofpurplesky · 09/08/2018 22:48

Bebe
Kaya

Waterlemon · 09/08/2018 22:48

Ok completely out the box ...

I know a few Sikh males with the name Angad,
There is a welsh female name that I have always loved Angharad (pronounced with a softer g - Ang-Harrad)

MadameJosephine · 09/08/2018 22:45

Anya
Amber
Elora
Amna
Elise
Serena
Jenna
Saffron
Jessamine
Sophia
Joy
ameli