Which of these Indian names would you consider to be secular?

Zara
Farah

Do you think Anjali could offend others in the Hindu community? The meaning of the name doesn’t seem too religious in itself to me but I know that the word Anjali is used in the context of anjali mantras for puja etc. I think it’s beautiful. Used in dance & yoga too. I know we have to stay away from any specific goddess names - I think Anjali is quite safe to use but I don’t know whether others in the Hindu community will be ok with it.

Honestly I don't know because I'm not Hindu...but I also think that people will come up with any reason to dislike a name. Looking at it from an Irish perspective, I'm never bothered by non-Irish people using Irish names as long as they spell and pronounce them right. There's a contingent of non-Irish who'll get offended on behalf of the Irish though. Pay them no mind. Maybe it's a situation like that?

I see people from Hindu backgrounds here saying something similar

As far as I know (my family are Indian Hindus) they're all Hindu names, not secular at all. I actually think I prefer Muslim girl names to Hindu girl names, I think a lot of them are gorgeous and classy - do you have any from a more Muslim background you'd consider? (Not that your list isn't lovely! I just mean that you seem to have considered only Hindu names).

I liked Niva for my daughter. It means the moon, if I recall correctly, and didn't seem too obvious where it was from. I also like Anjali and Vaani from your list (although with both I'd assume you were from an Indian Hindu background, I don't know if that might bother you if you are specifically looking for a Hindu name).

As for Hindus being offended, I don't think you need to be a practicing member of a religion to use a name from your own culture/heritage. To be honest, I can't speak for all Hindus of course, but my own family would he delighted to come across even a non-Indian with an Indian/Hindu name. They'd consider it a compliment.

We could spell Anjali like Angelie for the western version but I think that would look odd and kind of ruin the beauty of the original Sanskrit name. Angelie looks like a totally different name

It doesn't seem a different name...it IS a different name, it doesn't sound or look the same at all.

How about Anita, Nadia, Aanya, Suhana, Aniyah, Layla or Sharan?

I had a friend called Angeli. She was mixed and wasn’t a Hindu. But pronounced the same as how westerns would say anjali.

From your list, I think Nisha is really lovely. I know a girl called Daanya and I think that's a very pretty name - her family are Muslim but I don't know if her name has any specific meaning - actually, I've just looked it up and it means gift from god, but is usually an urdu/hindi name, so while there's a religious meaning, there's good crossover too.

Tara is lovely, multicultural and unisex too.
Anjali is also a lovely name, don’t westernise it though, it’s beautiful as it is.
And Jaya, though I’m biased as it was the name of a dear friend, who we lost last year. Her nickname was Jaz.

I know quite a few of Muslim girls/women called Tara and I think it would work with Hindus too. So that gets my vote.

Also it's a very international name too which helps if you don't want to link to a particular religion.

I’m more worried about other people outside of the family getting offended that the name has religious connotations because our daughter will be from a mixed background. Are we allowed to call DD Anjali, or Shreya or Rohini for example if she is not fully a Hindu by birth? Are other Hindus going to get annoyed... These are the sort of questions that are haunting me and keeping me up at night! A part of me wants to not worry about it but deep down I am quite anxious about it.

You are allowed to name your daughter whatever Hindu name you desire. Even names of gods/ goddesses. I am secular myself but have a religious hindu family and I can assure you...The only reaction to a Hindu name (even religious hindu name) for a person who is half Hindu or has no Hindu background is almost always absolute delight and at worse indifference. So go ahead and name your daughter whatever you desire...I can assure there will not be any negative reaction to the name

Thanks for replying, Babyonthewaysoon, it does sound tough.

I see that a couple of posters from a mixed Asian backgrounds seem to think that any name would be OK. That that sounds encouraging.

In your shoes - which of course it's not really possible to be! - I'd go along with any name you like. Especially if both your families are OK with it, no need to worry about strangers' opinions at all. Therein lies the madness! Your daughter will be herself, she is of mixed background and has a right to any name from any of those backgrounds - or ineed any others, but hopefully you see what I mean.

Also, the more people stop worrying about that kind of thing, the sooner everybody else will stop too. You've considered the implications and that's all you can be expected to do.

Maya is a secular name.

I am a Hindu ( tho maybe not a very fervent one) and I don't mind what you call your daughter. I have bigger things to be offended by:)

Love Anjali- had thought of Sophia if we had a daughter which is, I think of Indian/Pakistani region origin and also works well in the UK.

My children are mixed and have Sanskrit/ Hindu names and no one from either community has expressed any concern. Surely that just down to manners and if people are rude you ignore them.

Tara is used by both Irish and Indian people (amongst others), not linked but just coincidence.

I actually think it's a brilliant name as she could live most places in the world and her name will be pronounced correctly! It's also very pretty. I know it's a goddess (and wouldn't say "maybe muslim" to me at all) but as it's so international it think that's fine.

I also find Nisha very cute

I know an Anjali, of non religious, mixed Caucasian/ Indian heritage. Its very pretty

Anjali is a common name amongst Hindus so can’t imagine why a Hindu would be offended

I thought Tara was Irish?

Tara is very nice. I know a Tara and she's so stylish! It's a name that sound good for a child and adult.

Not of Indian/Pakistani/Hindu/Muslim heritage myself, but I find this a fascinating thread. We did need to name our DC a name that worked in two languages/cultures and that was hard enough!

OP, can I ask something please? Is it the case that you'd prefer a name with no religious connotations? Or rather that other (religious) people would find it offensive that a name with religious connotations is used?

From my secular ('Western') perspective, I think it's unavoidable that many names I like have a Jewish-Christian flavour. Our DC has a specifically non-religious name, but I personally would not find it an issue if it, say, it appeared in the Bible.

PS: I think Anjali is beautiful!

How about Sara? I've seen that used by both Hindu and Muslim parents.