What are your thoughts on India?
I first encountered it when I read “Gone with the Wind”.
Later I met a few Indias whose parents are artists.
I also know one person with the middle name India because she was in a hospital near the Indian Ocean.
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I’m sure someone else will be better at explaining the history of the name [name_f]India[/name_f], but I personally would not use it given the colonization implications and all of the exploitation and hurt behind the name. Someone can correct me if I get the details wrong, but the name came into use by white British colonizers in [name_f]India[/name_f].
However [name_u]Indie[/name_u] is my favorite girls name and is a great alternative without the implications! [name_u]Indigo[/name_u] or [name_u]Indiana[/name_u] are also nice options
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From what I have seen the name is also traditional in Spain. At least it is really popular in Spain now.
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I completely agree with the previous poster. India has, in the past and still does in the present, suffered from the horrific colonialism at the hands of the British colonisers. Seventy years after independence, and no one has forgotten what they did. Indian names, even though the common ones are popular on NB and get the love, have been made fun of. I think, to use India as a name because it is ‘exotic’ or ‘rare’, is kind of offensive to the native people.
True. Indie and Indiana are cute names. I love Indigo. It is a beautiful name and I can’t help but love it. Since it is more associated with the colour and the indigofera plants than the plantation workers under the British rule, you would be good to use it.
I hope I didn’t offend anyone in any way! 
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Wasn’t it used long before colonialism? It is a historic name, as far as I know.
I don’t think it is “exotic”, you are sort of putting words into my mouth. It is definitely not rare either, in the top 100 in Spain and top 200 in [name_u]Britain[/name_u].
I don’t plan on using it, I have just known it for the longest time and wondered what people thought of it. Always saw it as an old classic along with names like [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] or [name_f]Virginia[/name_f].
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I always found using country names for people to be odd at best. Even without the power dynamics implicated with India, it is still odd as it isn’t something people with ties to the country would actually use.
If you like the sounds of India, what about: Indigo, Lydia, Lindy, Lida, Indira, Dina, Adira
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I like the name [name_u]Indigo[/name_u] because of the color, and of course the cool nn. But it literally comes from the name of the country, so is it fundamentally different in any way than [name_f]India[/name_f]?
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Thanks for your research!
I know that [name_f]Italia[/name_f] was popular in [name_f]Italy[/name_f] in the early 1900s and [name_u]France[/name_u] made the top list in [name_u]France[/name_u] several times in the early 1900s but since has fallen from favor a bit even though I do know people with it as a middle name.
[name_u]Ireland[/name_u] seems to be getting somewhat popular on forums at least too.
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[name_u]Indigo[/name_u] comes from the country?
I don’t know, I would like to know what existed first:
- the name [name_f]India[/name_f] or the country? (I guess the country)
- the name [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] or the state and country
- the state [name_f]Virginia[/name_f] or the name
I think [name_f]Virginia[/name_f] (state) was named for the Virgin [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] but was [name_f]Virginia[/name_f] in use as a name before that? [name_u]Or[/name_u] did people then name kids after the state?
Surprisingly, I’m not a big fan of the sounds of [name_f]India[/name_f], even though I love names like [name_u]Indie[/name_u], [name_u]Indigo[/name_u], and [name_u]Indiana[/name_u]. It does sort of have the feel of “trying to be exotic” and is associated enough with the country that I’d find it a little strange for someone to use if they don’t have a connection to [name_f]India[/name_f]. The colonization aspect also makes it a little fishy but I think that’s an issue for Brits more than anyone else and it goes back to the “trying to be exotic” vibe that I get.
@Victory55 I would say [name_u]Indigo[/name_u] is different because it’s a color/dye and its usage as a word predates any of the modern colonization.
@Mayblossom
The country came first, derived from the [name_m]Indus[/name_m] [name_u]River[/name_u].
There was a St [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] who lived around 500 CE (the first mention of the country being called [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] was in 1320, and the state was named after [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_u]George[/name_u] II)
[name_f]Virginia[/name_f] was the name of the first [name_f]English[/name_f] baby born in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u]. The name itself comes from a [name_m]Roman[/name_m] family name. The commonwealth of [name_f]Virginia[/name_f] was renamed by the [name_f]English[/name_f] who colonized it in honor of the [name_f]Queen[/name_f].
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The country has been called [name_f]India[/name_f] by people since the year 5000 so technically it also predates it.
Thank you! Yes, I figured because I have since found that the name [name_f]India[/name_f] was used since 5000. However, apparently only by some people and for some regions of it.
I believe in [name_f]India[/name_f] it is known mostly as Bharat.
Thanks! So the name is older. That is interesting (for Georgia).
Oh yes, true, [name_f]Virginia[/name_f] Dare. How could I have forgotten 
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I do enjoy the sound, but my [name_f]Indian[/name_f] friend finds it utterly bizarre that people would use it as a name 
not sure how universal that is
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I would find it bizarre too if people named kids after my country because it would be odd as a name.
What I am wondering is whether it would be seen as offensive or just odd.
I love the name, but then I love dozens of place names.
I understand the controversy about it, but I do like it.
Would I use it? No, because it is not one of my top 25 names, but I would not think poorly of someone who would use it or would not.
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[name_f]My[/name_f] friend in school was [name_f]Indea[/name_f] - never thought as directly about the country because of the spelling and it suited her well. Since I grew up with an [name_f]Indea[/name_f] I tend to like it!
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I like it. Its simple and pretty. Im not going to overthink it 
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My partner is Indian, so he thinks it’s really weird to be used as a name! Interestingly, he likes it better on non-Indian people, and finds it stranger if that’s where they’re from
Of course i am not an expert, just thought I’d share
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I know you’re talking about [name_f]Indian[/name_f] specifically, so excuse the loosely linked topic but…
I struggle with the use of G*psy as a name for example, being of Romani heritage (which is believed to have originated from India,) it’s a name that I see pop up for its wayfarer, Bohemian-like quality, but is actually a racial slur. It’s just a very awkward name to me.
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i think it’s a little bizarre to use a name so strongly associated with a place, but it does have a nice sound !!
non-brit here so the colonization issues aren’t the first thing to come to mind, but they definitely do make it a little less appealing.
i think I’d stick with inigo or indiana or one of the other options previous posters have mentioned
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[name_f]India[/name_f] as a given name pre-dates British colonialism in [name_f]India[/name_f]. I remember reading about a woman in medieval [name_f]Italy[/name_f] named [name_f]India[/name_f]. Whether her name came from the name of the country or from a different origin, I can’t say.
That said, in the modern age the name is overwhelming associated with the country. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though I’m aware [name_f]Georgia[/name_f] is a country too, in my perception [name_f]India[/name_f] seems more strongly linked with the country. I wouldn’t be comfortable using it myself, though obviously some people are using it since it appears in the popularity charts.