How - Who Named India

Bharat, India, Hindustan but the official name, states that "India, that is Bharat, shall be a union of states." Thus, not only in usage but officially India and Bharat are both accorded primary status. The name India is derived from the river Indus.

The original name of the river came from the fact that in the north-west of the subcontinent, there are seven main tributaries of the one river. The local inhabitants therefore called it Sapta-Sindhu, meaning the seven rivers. As the seven tributaries are part of the one river, the entire river system came to be known in time as Sindhu. In general, Sindhu also means any river or water body in Sanskrit.

Persian explorers visited the area even in ancient times, and the Iranian 'h' is cognate with Sanskrit 's'. Thus Sindhu became Hindu. Similarly, Sanskrit Asura (a spirit, later an evil spirit) is cognate with Ahura, the Supreme God of the early Iranian people.

sindhu-river

The name of the river entered Greek from Persian, with the loss of the initial 'h', to become Indos, from which the Greeks derived their name for the region, India. The Latin form of Indos is Indus, the name by which the river system is still known in the West. Its name was given to the entire subcontinent by the Romans, who adapted it to the current India.

The word India is the form used by Europeans over the ages.

Sindhu is also the Sanskrit term for Ocean and for any large water body. It would specifically mean the modern river Indus, if ancient Indic originated there. It could just mean "water dwellers" as well.

Interestingly, the Vedas did not assign any particular name for India, although some scholars assert that references to Indu in the Rig Veda relate to India's present name. Many traditional literary/cultural works from around the globe lack definite terminology for their home culture as a political unit; China, Greece, and many other civilizations lacked fixed names for themselves in traditional literature of their early periods.

In the Matsya Purana 126, the length of India (Bharatavarsa) is 9,000 puranic yojanas, which is a good estimation.

India Flag

Listed by, among others, Colonel James Todd in his Annals of Rajputana, he describes the ancient India under control of tribes claiming descent from the Moon, or "Indu", and their influence in Trans-Indian regions where they referred to the land as Industhan. This explanation might serve better to explain the term Hindu. Having said that, ancient Greeks do mention the Indic tribes or related tribes (could be of Iranian origin or joint Indo-Iranian origin) inhabiting what is now Ukraine as Sindoi or Sindkoi.

The name India was known in Anglo-Saxon, and was used in King Alfred's translation of Orosius. In Middle English, the name was, under French influence, replaced by Ynde or Inde, which entered early modern English as Indie. The use of the name India dates from the 17th century onwards, and may be due to the influence of Latin, or Spanish or Portuguese.

Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean, the only Ocean named after a country (others being Pacific, Atlantic, Southern and Arctic). Such was the desire to find a trade route to the prosperous India that not only "Cape of Good Hope" was named this way but the Ocean at the feet of India was named as the Indian Ocean!

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Srinath

Hyderabad

Rating: 2/5

Srinath posted on 5/8/2018 7:50:24 AM

there are many versions of the term India as well ad Hindustan (Hindus staan). according to my study the term Hindu means Paapi who doesnt believe in Allah. according to persian at then time the people residing in Bharat kand are paapi(s) because dey wont believe/follow Allah. thus they use to call us Hindu(s).   Hindu means black, thief ect....                          

as Mr. Uday Gupte mentioned is the correct meaning of Bharat. but if we look through ancient sages(scientists /researchers) they gave Bharath name to this country (actually its applies on continent n entire Earth (thus we say Bharata bhoomi)) bcoz every living organisms on dis earth is because of sun. so bha(with Sun or with other) rat (having Rathi with Sun and genaratating all living things on this earth.

Like[0]

Wmorgan

Rating: 4/5

Wmorgan posted on 10/6/2017 1:22:20 PM

What I would like to know, is This: if the above article is correct in this portion Ive selected - The name India was known in Anglo-Saxon, and was used in King Alfreds translation of Orosius. In Middle English, the name was, under French influence, replaced by Ynde or Inde, which entered early modern English as Indie. The use of the name India dates from the 17th century onwards, and may be due to the influence of Latin, or Spanish or Portuguese. - Why did people believe Columbus thought he was in India when it wasnt until centuries later that it was referred to as such...

Like[1]

Dominics

Rating: 4/5

Hd posted on 9/2/2017 11:38:59 PM

This was a great article. Throughly explained. Other  articles  just said india is frim indus which is from sindh river in sanskrit. You however explained the meaning of sindhu, the full ame and usage in sanskrit, the importance of sindhu river.
It would be excellent article if u also provided quotes n pictures from ancient texts to back up your theories and explanations 
Thank you, it was a fascinating read and a pleasure to read a well researched article that covered all the angles

Like[1]

Anwar

Delhi

Rating: 2/5

Anwar posted on 4/25/2017 5:16:48 AM

I want to know who give our country the name India?

Like[5]

Rajesh

Odisha

Rating: 4/5
Rajesh posted on 2/18/2017 4:26:57 AM
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I love  my India   . 
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Hetal

Houston Tx

Rating: 4/5

Hetal posted on 8/19/2015 3:08:37 PM

I just come to know from some social media, that British (Angrej) have given name of our country based on following,  INDependent In August = INDIA. which is so digusting that we are still keeping this name.

Like[1]

Uday Gupte

Jaipur

Rating: 5/5

Uday Gupte posted on 9/9/2014 6:54:12 AM

The one of origin name Bharat= BHA+RAT
BHA means Tej, udiyman Syrya i.e savita, devine light bliss 
RAT means continuing The group of such upasaks who perform meditation/sadhna of devine light /savita 
Bharat Rashtra 
Rashtra means Ratiyaon ka samuh, tyagi/ balidaniniyon ka samuha

Like[2]

Harsh

Ahmedabad

Rating: 5/5
Harsh posted on 8/21/2014 11:46:19 AM
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India..- independent nation declared in august. 
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Hitesh

Dubai

Rating: 3/5

Hitesh posted on 3/28/2014 4:48:56 PM

American & Brits make fun of south american which are latin american as red indian. This word indian they use from long years as a teasing,abusing word for south american. And we stupid people took as a English word and took ourself as pride. but in reality they had made fun of our country, image and pride.

Like[2]

Nancy

India

Rating: 3/5

Nancy posted on 2/5/2014 11:39:59 AM

useful info but ive heard that Bharat is named after the king bharat in ramayana...since then our country got its name

Like[4]

Roque

Mumbai

Rating: 1/5

Roque posted on 10/14/2013 7:24:41 AM

dont fight for the name just fight for the love peace and joy then only our country will be in no. one position in world. then we can give the name heavenor  swarg   to our country.

Like[2]

Indian

Punjab

Rating: 1/5

Indian posted on 10/14/2013 5:02:58 AM

OK so all of you sSTOP wearing western/european clothes

Like[2]

Allaresame

Usa

Rating: 3/5

Allaresame posted on 8/31/2013 9:42:06 PM

I agree @TheoryGuys discription...

The Sanskrit name of Bharat = Bharat GAnaraajyaa

whos direct English translation is United States of Bharat.

Another name for the Indian continent is Jambudvipa...whos direct meaning is Jambu continent (BTW - Jambu is an indian fruit also called as indian blackberry which is actually violet in color....how much messed up it can keep on getting...ha ha ha)

BTW - they dont call Quran, Torah, Bible as epic. But Ramayana and mahabharata are epics..hmmmm!

Divinity is based on belief and historicity can be proved based on the proof. Only, so called Indian epic, can be proved to be happened based on so many out of India studies and discoveries.....Interesting haannn....  

Our Indian people are ok buttering white people and other western civilization who are beef and pork eater, but they dont stand with the person with different cast who chronologically or by DNA belongs to your own line....isnt it amazing?

Like[1]

Theoryguy

Usa

Rating: 3/5

Theoryguy posted on 8/31/2013 9:25:06 PM

@Vinod Sailes: you talk like a professor who think knows everything...right from the start of civilization..not! Europeans, in every way has started creating lots of theories. Because, it was the only way to destroy the native culture and beliefs. They new the ideas developed here, and the science as well, was way advance. Hence, they started breaking education system - replaced yoga/meditation with crappy PT (Physical Training). Also, they made us and the world believe on incorrect history for selfish reasons....and they did the same with the different parts of the world. They were robbers in gentlemans dress. (of course, all were not the same - but majority of them) why the heck do you think they always had latest and greatest technology? Because they learned from other natives. If they had technology then why didnt they stayed in Europe and did something better there? Anyways - People like Vinod Sailes are real problems to Indian knowledge development because they are still continuing the noise that Europeans started to make back in history - little did they know that the effect will last so far. I agree that the name should be Bharat - because it was famous as Bharat khand back then. Khand = island, Bharat = name of the king who reigned the region for longest time. This country was always open, is open and will be open. The first open source university was coined by this country - Takshashila & Nalandaa. They gave all the knowledge for free to ALL the people visiting there. But Indian people tend to forget their own identity and flow with the flow of visiting civilizations. Please - stop the false claim and repeatation of the incorrect European portrayal of India....oops Bharat I mean.

Like[0]

Saumya Singh

Sidhi M.p

Rating: 3/5

Saumya Singh posted on 5/12/2013 12:36:47 PM

what...rubish who the hell are romans to name our country its hindustan and i think gorment should take strict action towards this fake name indiiiiiiiiiiiia.......