Choosing The Right Baby Name In 2020 And Beyond

What should Virat Kohli & Ansuhka Sharma name their baby?

And then we were three!
Arriving Jan 2021!

Social media is buzzing with the recent announcement made by celebrity couple, actress Anushka Sharma and cricketer Virat Kohli. Congratulatory messages flooded in instantly ranging from heart emojis from Alia Bhatt to heartfelt congratulations from Varun Dhawan, Priyanka Chopra, Sania Mirza, Taapsee Pannu and many others.

Virat and Anushka have been married for three years, and will be first time parents. In these despondent times, fans finally have something to rejoice.

Cricket and Bollywood alliances have always evoked interest in a nation obsessed with both these art forms right from the days when Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi aka Tiger Pataudi decided to marry Sharmila Tagore. Tiger would have loved it if his son Saif Ali Khan had donned the cricket whites, but he chose a career in Bollywood following his mother’s footsteps, ole oleing into the hearts of the ladies. Coincidentally, the first baby announcement from tinsel town came from Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor a few weeks ago that they were expecting again. 3 year old Taimur was to have a sibling.

Anushka and Virat are the perfect example of opposites attract, hailing from different worlds. But what is commendable is the sheer amount of love and respect that each partner has for the other. Both take pride and pleasure in the other’s success and they epitomize the concept of a perfect marriage. How many people announce, “We are pregnant!” after all.

We are positive that the couple will be great parents. The secret of being good parents is about loving and respecting your partner unconditionally and above all else, something both Virat and Anushka have displayed time and again.

But whenever parents are expecting a baby, choosing a name is one of the most difficult things to do. Whoever said ‘What’s in a name?’ probably hadn’t visited these shores where the naming of a child is an elaborate ritual by itself, taking months on end to freeze.

In India, there is probably a name for every decade, and if you were born in the 70’s, 80’s or the 90’s there are high chances that you’ve bumped into your namesake at least once, unless of course your parents chose to give you a name that was remotely unique. This kind of situation can either be a blessing or an outright embarrassment especially if you’re named after a Russian satellite because your father was spaced out or you’re named after a doll your mother worshipped.

Thankfully, things started to look up for children born in the early 2000s after social media stormed into our lives. Parents started spending time researching the best names for their children instead of going by random relative suggestions. East met west as delightful mashups of baby names became the new rage without ignoring traditional names and customs. India was finally shining!

The best part about the international influence in terms of naming children was that short, smart and secular names were in vogue. Names like Hannah, Grace, Olivia, Rose and Isabel also began to grace Indian homes. Even Disney was a source of inspiration with little ladies named Elsa and Anna. Sanskrit names also became fashionable.

We’ve prepared a list of the top 10 names for both baby boys and baby girls along with their meanings.

We’ve been a bit partial to the letters ‘A’ and ‘V’ as a tribute to Virat and Anushka 😉 They are our favourite couple after all.

If you intend to get pregnant in the coming year, this list will definitely come in handy. Do remember to thank us later.

Our Pick for 10 baby names for boys

1. Aadrik: The name Aadrik refers to “the sun rising between the mountains.”

2. Adrith: Another name for Lord Vishnu, Adrith refers to “one who supports others.” Sounds like the perfect name for a future Indian team captain!

3. Advik: A short and sweet boy name, Advik, means “creativity.”

4. Akshant: The name Akshant refers to “an individual who wants to win all the time.” Sounds like Virat Kohli.

5. Anvit: A unique name, Anvit refers to “an individual who leads/guides others.”

6. Ashvik: Ashvik refers to “one who is blessed to be triumphant.”

7. Kshitij: Kshitij refers to “Lord of the Earth.” The name also refers to “the point where the earth and the sky meet.”

8. Vansh: The name Vansh refers to the “coming generation.”

9. Vehant: The name Vehant means “wisdom and intelligence.”

10. Viraj: The name Viraj refers to the Sun. Viraj also means “king,” or “resplendent.” How does Viraj Kohli sound?

Our Pick for 10 names for Girls

1. Aabha: The glow on your baby’s face is matchless, and naming her Aabha would be apt as it means “glow” in Sanskrit.

2. Aakanksha: This adorable name means “desire” or “wish,” and comes from Sanskrit.

3. Aanya This beautiful name comes from Sanskrit and means “inexhaustible,” “limitless,” or “resurrection.”

4. Advika: This cute name for a baby girl comes from the Sanskrit word “advitya,” which means “unrivalled,” “unique,” or “matchless.” That sounds like Anushka Sharma.

5. Vaibhavi: A lovely name for your daughter, Vaibhavi means “glorious,” “grandeur,” or “affluence” in Sanskrit. Bollywood perfect!

6. Vamika: The name comes from the root word “vami,” which means “left side,” or “left direction” in Sanskrit. The name is used as an epithet for Goddess Durga. We badly need a left-hander in our ladies cricket team.

7. Vanya: It means “of the forest,” or “of the trees” in Sanskrit. The name is also used to refer to the Hindu Goddess of Forests.

8. Vritika: If you want an unusual yet beautiful name with great meaning, then choose Vritika, which means “success,” or “growth.” The name is derived from Sanskrit.

9. Amaira: Meaning: Beloved beautiful princess Origin: Greek

10. Anika: Meaning: Goddess Durga, Origin: Sanskrit

What are your favourite baby names? Do share them with us and we’ll share them with everyone else on this platform.