Harleen

Meaning: (Meadow of the Hares, Within the Love of God, One Absorbed in the Lord's Love, Feminine of Harlan.)

Origin: (English, Indian, Punjabi)

Pronunciation: (HAR-leen, HHAARLiyiyN)

Gender: Female

With the movie ‘Suicide Squad’ having recently come out this name has been everywhere as it is the full first name of one of the characters in the movie, also in the comics and cartoons, Harley Quinn. Harley *see on list of posts* is a good nickname for this name. The meanings are very nice and some are very beautiful indeed! I don’t see ever using this name but it is a good name that is rarely used which I would like to see used more often in novels if used on the right character.

Shyama

Meaning: (Dark, Black, Blue, Black Beauty)

Origin: (Indian, Hindi, Sanskrit)

Pronunciation: (SHayaa-Maa or SHayaa-Mah, Shee-ar-mah)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I heard this name and saw it spelled out on the TV screen when watching The Hunt with John Walsh show. That episode was where a man of either a Hindu or Buddhist community molested several young girls and the girls’ parents said if the contact was seen as bad to the girls then there was something perverse in their thinking. When the girls grew up they left and years later reported it. Two of the women were within the statute of limitations but ones statute of limitations had just run out. The man was found guilty but while out on bond he fled to Mexico and then from there to India before sentencing. They are still hunting him down and I do hope they get him so he can go to jail for his crimes and stop running and hurting people like a coward. Anyway one of girls name was this.

This is a unique name that is also very foreign and beautiful looking. The meanings are lovely and exotic and this is a name I could see on a definitely foreign beauty in a foreign maybe Arabic desert setting.

The only problem I have is with the pronunciation as it looks like Shy should to me be pronounced like the word Shy or how you would start the name Cheyenne *see on list of posts*. Then the last part Ama should to me be ah-muh, so SHY-ah-muh but that’s probably because certain foreign names just don’t want to compute with my English speaking brain, lol.

Indra

Meaning: (Possessing Drops of Rain, Supreme God, Beauty, Splendor, and Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain. He is the chief god in the Hindu text the Rigveda. )

Origin: (Sanskrit, Hindi, Indian)

Pronunciation: (IN-dra, IN-drə, AHNDRah)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I was watching Heroes of Cosplay on Syfy a few months back and one of the cosplayers is named Indra. I really came to see, hear and like the name when her name was said or it was on the screen. I like the main meaning of this name but I don’t really pay much mind to it being the name of a foreign deity. The meaning seems very nature oriented which I like a lot.

This name was also used for the name of a city in Kendal and Kylie Jenners’ book, rather they had a ghost writer write the book and they took credit for it but all they contributed was the idea (you can read more about this issue in one of my posts from a month or so ago.) So anyway Indra is a name gathering popularity a bit but it still rings foreign, pretty, strong, exotic, and fascinating all at once.

Ritika

Meaning: (Of a Stream, On the Move, Movement, Stream, and Brass)

Origin: (Indian, Sanskrit)

Pronunciation: (RIH-tih-kah, Rah-Tee-Kah, ree-tee-ka, ree-THEE-kah, ree-TEE-kah, Riy-TIY-Kaa)

Gender: Uni-Sex

I can’t remember where I saw this but it was on a names list somewhere I think. I wait so long to add them I forget where I saw them, lol! Anyway this name has such a unique but kind of really cool pretty look to it.

The pronunciation is the only down fall for me but the meanings I think are really pretty and nature based. Unfortunately it is a name I will probably forget about unless I see it more often. I like it though because it reminds me of the character Riddick, played by actor Vin Diesel. That is if you say if fast enough and have my accent when saying it, lol. But spelled out they don’t look alike.

Ishani

Meaning: (The Ruling Goddess, Desire, Variant of Ishana.)

Origin: (Hindi, Sanskrit, Indian)

Pronunciation: (ee-shah-nee, iy-SHaa-Niy)

Gender: Female

I saw that new Disney Pixsar movie Planes advertised the other day and one of the planes is named Ishani. I think this is a really pretty exotic name with really lovely meanings.

Ashok

Meaning: (Not Causing Sorrow, Sorrow Less, One Without Sorrow, Without Sadness, A form of Ashoka, Ashoka the Great, a 3^rd Century BC Emperor of India, Ashoka Diamond, a 41.37 carat D flawless named after the Buddhist Warrior-Emperor Ashoka Maurya.)

Origin: (Hindu, Indian, Sanskrit)

Pronunciation: (aa-SHaaK, ah-shock)

Gender: Male, Possibly Uni-Sex

I was watching Law and Order: Special Victims Unit one day and this guy was some sort of investigator. His name was Ashok Ramsey. I love names that have Ash in them. It’s a very foreign sounding yet handsome name. I love the lovely meanings. It has a nice long history of use. I don’t see this often but I would love to see it in novels. It might be used just not much among English speakers.

Lila / Lilah

Meaning: (Dark-Haired Beauty, Night, Dark Beauty, Derived from the Arabic Leila (Night, Dark Beauty) or the Persian Leila (Dark-Haired). Its use in England began with George Byon’s “The Giaour” (1813). Short form of Delilah (Hebrew) "lovelorn, seductive". Feminine form of Lyle: From the Island.)

Origin: (Indian, Arabic, Persian, Polish, Hebrew)

Pronunciation: (LIY-lə, LIE-lah, LYE-lah, lee-LAH, LEE-lah)

Gender: Female

I have had this on my list for a while but since I have added the similar meaning name Layla *See on list of posts* I decided I wasn't going to add it but I decided though a few weeks ago to add it when I heard it when I was down in St. Charles. I was in the rest room and I saw this woman who kept wrangling in her cute little toddlers, a boy and girl who were I would say a year or two apart in age. I never heard her sons name but she kept calling the little girl when she ran out the bathroom door while she was trying to wash her hands. The little girls name was Lila. It is a super cute name with beautiful meanings. It's an exotic sounding name as well. It's a bit old fashioned but making it well in the modern era.

Ashna

Meaning: (Beloved, Devoted to Love, Daughter of Bali, Voracious)

Origin: (Sanskrit, Indian)

Pronunciation: (AE-SHNaa)

Gender: Female

I was watching Keeping up with the Kardashians and Scott Disick was to do an appearance at a birthday party. The girls name that was her birthday party was named Ashna. I really like any name with Ash in it and this is just another to add to that list. It's exotic, unique, pretty with a great meaning.

Avani

Meaning: (Earth, The Good Earth, Stream Bed, Hindu Goddess Sita was also called Avanisuta meaning “Daughter of the Earth”. The legend goes that she was found while ploughing the Earth.)

Origin: (Sanskrit, Indian, Hindi)

Pronunciation: (ah-vah-nee, ah-VAHN-ee, aa-VAA-Niy, OVEN-ee)

Gender: Female

I love going to this Medieval / Fantasy Wedding Gowns site I found years ago. I am not married or even planning to right now but I went there to get ideas for some of my characters who lived in the Medieval like era. The designer is in the UK and her gowns are briliant. They are beautiful and so well done. Anyway Avani is the name of one of her gowns. I really liked the name and a few others I will add later.

I am going to add the website below just so you can check it out if you like.

Rivendell Bridal Designs by Emily Jane

http://www.rivendellbridal.com/

Asha

Meaning: (Hope, Life, Wish, Desire, Alive and Well, She Who Lives, Protection of Fire, Variant of Aisha.)

Origin: (Arabic, Indian, Persian, Swahili)

Pronunciation: (ahh-sha, Ash-uh, AH-shuh, AA-SHaa, AH-sha, AE-SH-aa)

Gender: Female

I was watching BBC America channel and there was this lady named Asha who was talking about hosting some show about Top British celebs or something like that. I really wasn't paying much attention to the commercial about the upcoming show because I was thinking about the name Asha. It is pretty and simple and easy to pronounce. I love the meaning and really love the look of it. I like certain names that start with Ash which I think is a pretty cool nickname. So I think Asha is a great name and great alternative to more popular Ashley (not that there is anything wrong with Ashley as I've used the name on a character before.)

Mala

Meaning: (Necklace, Garland, Garland of Flowers, Rosary)

Origin: (Indian (Sanskrit), Hebrew, German, English)

Pronunciation: (MAHL-uh, maa-laa, Go to this site and run your cursor over the name Mala to hear how it is said: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=mala)

Gender: Female

This is a pretty name with a pretty meaning. I was watching this movie the other day about this alien world and these human people that came to get rid of the locals and terraform the world. The main alien woman was named Mala. It's a short name that is pretty and foreign sounding which I love.

Divya

Meaning: (The Devine, Devine Brilliance, Devine Lustre, Heavenly)

Origin: (Indian, Sanskrit, Hindu)

Pronunciation: (Div-ee-uh, Div-yuh, DIV-ya, d ee v y uh, d ih v- y ah)

Gender: Female

I hit the wrong channel the other day and saw a few minutes of the show Royal Pains and I heard the one Indian character ladies name. Her name was Divya and I really liked the sound of it. Upon looking it up I instantly loved the meanings as well. It's a beautiful name. I recently saw people post about the name Devine and forgive me it sounds like an exotic dancers name. Divya on the other hand has the meaning Devine but has a more exotic look and sound and is much prettier.

Opal

Meaning: (Gem, Jewel, A uniquely colorful iridescent gemstone, suitable for an October baby.)

Origin: (Indian, Sanskrit)

Pronunciation: (OH-pel, Go to this site and run your cursor over the word Opal to hear how it is said: http://www.howjsay.com/index.php?word=opal&submit=Submit )

Gender: Female

Opals are my favorite gem and I love the name. Though when you see this name people think of an old lady or the Victorian era.