Fun Facts About the Name Nandini
- 948 babies named Nandini: U.S. records list 948 babies given the name Nandini from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Nandini Mean?
Nandini is a feminine name from Sanskrit. It means "joyful" or "delightful." The name comes from Sanskrit nandinī (नन्दिनी), the feminine form of nandin (नन्दिन्), "rejoicing, joyful." Both derive from the verbal root nand (नन्द्), "to rejoice, to be glad," with the feminine suffix -inī. Sanskrit lexicons also record nandinī with the sense "daughter," and the word can mean "woman" as well. The literal sense is "she who rejoices" or "joyful woman"; "daughter" is a separate lexical meaning, not a different origin. The name is not related to the European name Nadine, despite the similar sound. Related Sanskrit names include Nandita and Nandin, which share the same root.
Nandini Name History & Origins
The name belongs to the Sanskrit tradition and appears in Hindu literature. In the Ramayana, Nandini is the wish-granting cow of the sage Vasishtha; the story of King Vishvamitra's attempt to take her is an early episode in the epic. In some tellings, Nandini is a daughter of Kamadhenu, the divine cow of plenty. The Ramayana gives Nandini a famous literary role, but that does not establish the name's earliest use. Sanskrit lexicons also list Nandini as a name of the Ganga. Outside mythology, Nandini is a given name in India and Nepal and among Hindu communities abroad. It appears in modern Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindi, where it is written नंदिनी or नन्दिनी; the Sanskrit form is nandinī. The name has stayed close to its Sanskrit form, and it remains distinct from the masculine Nandin and from Nandita, though all three come from the root nand.
How Popular is the Name Nandini?
Nandini has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2006. Its best rank was #3,046 in 2006.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,351 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 2024 | #7,463 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #6,585 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #7,530 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #5,691 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #7,465 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #4,861 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 2018 | #4,315 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2017 | #7,324 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #4,950 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2015 | #4,373 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 2014 | #5,583 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2013 | #4,614 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2012 | #5,365 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2011 | #4,217 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2010 | #4,936 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2009 | #4,343 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2008 | #3,251 | 52 | 0.0028% |
| 2007 | #3,515 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 2006 | #3,046 | 56 | 0.0029% |
| 2005 | #3,113 | 51 | 0.0028% |
| 2004 | #3,159 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 2003 | #3,220 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 2002 | #3,508 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2001 | #4,082 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2000 | #4,049 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1999 | #6,400 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1998 | #12,005 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #11,704 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #11,368 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #10,227 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #9,278 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #10,154 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #9,954 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #11,003 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #11,847 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #13,199 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #9,953 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #8,122 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #8,689 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #7,415 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #9,318 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Nandini Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a vivid imagination who can bring inspired messages to the world. You like to enjoy the pleasures of life, and when self is overcome, you can rise to the heights. You have an ability to avoid trouble - that is why you often fails to learn from experiences. You are restless, sociable people-oriented, a lover of change, and a seeker of adventure and new thrills. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Nandini's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Nandini's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.