Sanskrit name for a Pakistani baby?

[Abitofadilemma]

I love Sanskrit names & I’m totally non-religious, we like many aspects of eastern spirituality (Buddhism & Hinduism) and I personally love the stories behind the names. However, is it a big no no to give future DD a Sanskrit name if we are not technically Hindu & Indian? Our families are Muslim/ Pakistani. We don’t really like any of the more “neutral names” and I have my heart set on a few Sanskrit names that I love which DH also likes. The names I like are quite strongly associated to the Hindu religion, some of them have indirect associations to goddesses. Neither of us have an issue with it because we are both very open minded and like all religions! I can see this might be quite controversial though and perhaps uncomfortable for DD growing up? I’m so confused & don’t know if I’m just going round in circles in my mind needlessly making a bit deal out of nothing!

You told me to “DFOD”, @heyjude12

Then you closed a post saying “Jai Shri Krishna” while claiming you’d been educated in the Arya Samaj tradition, while simultaneously claiming an Australian Vaishnava was a “non-Hindu”.

You’re completely clueless and yet you’ve got the cheek to complain to others that you’re “offended”.

I did not say a Vaishnava was not Hindu. I said anyone who wasn't a Hindu.
You were very PA .
Arya Samaj respects deity worship but doesn't practice it.
My choice of greeting is personal
And yes telling me that Your parents were short changed. Is personal and deeply offensive. Again you don't know if my parents are living or not.
Jai Shri Krishna

I really can’t take you seriously any more I’m afraid. Your first “DFOD” revealed the true you.

Then everything you’ve added since is jokes.

Autodidactism is dangerous sometimes.

What a lovely display of Hinduism from PPs...

Op, some of the names you have considered seem lovely. Personally, I wouldn't find it offensive, a name is a name.

@drainrat Thanks! :) Tara is on the list! It's refreshing that London has so many interfaith/ multicultural families who are looking beyond the class/ caste/ religion conversations.
@Chilldonaldchill Thanks for sharing!
@DM1209 Thank you so much for the support, some beautiful name suggestions that i've added to my list!
@CommanderBurnham @ShadierThanaPalmTreeThank you so much, so glad to hear that!

@heyjude12 You are fully entitled to hold your opinions, all I can say and reassure is that i don't mean to offend, this isn't about that. We are interested in using a Sanskrit name because we love the names, the sounds, the meanings and the spiritual meanings - which are important to us because we are on a path of eastern spirituality and moving away from the beliefs we were born into. We have the right to practice any form of spirituality that we align with and choose a name that represents that, or do you think we don't?

I just want to say to anyone who thinks our name choice for dd is outrageous or offensive...
We have so many bigger problems to deal with as humans than to keep ourselves busy with such discriminatory ideologies. I think everyone should be free to do whatever aligns with them, makes them happy, etc. Who are we to put stipulations on someone's name choice, religion choice, lifestyle choice, marital choice, based on their birth and background? I just don't get it. If you believe something, enjoy that belief, but also have the ability to understand that you cannot control everyone else's choices and if you choose to get offended by my daughter's name being of Hindu origin, that is your choice. It is not mine or anyone else's responsibility to keep you happy and at peace and fit into your view of the way that the world should be. The only person that can give you happiness and peace is you! Why does it matter what I or anyone else is doing? Most people are just making decisions that are best for themselves and their families, it has got nothing to do with offending or pleasing anyone. That is a very egotistical view of people's life choices. It is nice to think beyond yourself, there is a whole world out there. People are complex and cannot be put into boxes with labels. There is a lot of black and white thinking going on in this thread.

Ultimately I just asked for opinions, I will go and make the choice that suits me & my family best, but every time you come across someone that doesn't fit your idea of how the world should be, are you going to let yourself get offended and make it all about yourself, it's only going to be your loss and a waste of your own time and energy? You can kick and scream and shout as much as you want but people are entitled to their choices and you are entitled to yours. At least that's how it is in a humane, democratic and healthy, modern society.

We are probably going to pair a beautiful Sanskrit name with our very muslim and Pakistani surname, because that aligns with our beliefs, it's our story, it shows our struggles and our bravery and we want to pass on the message to our DD that she can be brave and define herself however she wants when she grows up! A lot of the comments on here have made me even more determined to go for it because I am very passionate about not giving into this sort of pressure to conform to black and white thinking.

Please don’t let a keyboard zealot with a pick and mix (illogical) faith dissuade you!

it's our story, it shows our struggles and our bravery

Kavita means lyrical poem, (similar to Ghazal/a I think) so it would be perfect, but it’s often mispronounced to sound like cavity by native English speakers who struggle with त.

I love Varun (female Varuna) which means voyage.

@drainrat Thanks for those suggestions!! I like both of those and will add them to the list! :)

You asked if it was offensive and I replied that it is.
I have not lowered my self by being parents into it.
As we live in a free country you obviously can name your child wherever you like.
There will be many Hindus offended but crack on if you don't care.
I am happy with my gurus teachings.
I find that Hinduism encourages pick and choosing. As those that follow the philosophy rather than the prove
Hinduism does not to me mean that I am not allowed an opinion or that I can't be proud of a faith derided and ridiculed by outsiders.

Inclusivity does not mean rolling over and not voicing my feelings.
Drainrat you have proven how well your parents have raised you. Mine have always been proud of me and adore me. Can ypu say the same
Carry on with your nasty PA comments. I don't care.

If you were being strictly Hindu in your beliefs and followed AS teachings @heyjude12 then you would have supported a Pakistani Muslim ‘returning’ to her original and ‘natural’ religion. Arya Samaj has always supported the ‘return’ of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi muslims to Hindusim and has done a lot of work on this in India. They believe casteism caused them to convert to Islam and that without the injustices casteism they can be supported to return to Hindusim. It’s one of the reasons why they are one of the few Indian institutions that support intercaste and Hindu-Muslim marriages in India.

Learn about the institution you claim to follow before spouting garbage here. AS does a lot of hard work in India to shut up nonsense like yours.

As for you OP do whatever you feel you need to. Ultimately if it wasn’t for British occupation Pakistan would still be a collection of territories with different religions - in my grandmother’s time many parts were Jewish. So do whatever you need to and ignore idiots like heyjude who don’t know anything about the institutions they claim to follow.

Is op converting back. No.
Reducing your self grumpyhoonmain to insults and name calling proves the old adage of you can't argue with a fool to be true.
I am aware of the work done by the Samaj. You should be aware of the fact that Hinduism allows me to have opinions.
Again having spoken to friends and family , all would find find it offensive

Yours are the only offensive posts here, @heyjude12.

Your grasp of Hinduism is risible and your beliefs are contradictory. You’re a racist and an Islamophobe.

The moment you used the phrase “my guru” I knew exactly the sort of person you were.

This reminded me of a poem called A Boy Named Sue.
OP, suggest you might be better off looking for a Google search for Sanskrit baby girl names - there are websites that give meanings as well.
Whatever name you pick, double check the meaning separately on Google- the quality of translation on these websites are not really the best.
Also, try pronouncing the name with very Western accents - the biggest challenge is constantly spelling out the name and getting people to pronounce it vaguely correctly. Eg Madhuri is a beautiful name, but often gets pronounced like Mad- hurry, which is a terrible distortion of the name.

I am hoping for a grandchild. I will not dare to suggest any names but will keep some of these up my sleeve. Especially Tara which crosses continents. Good luck OP.