This page lists 30 boy names and 27 girl names that begin with C. Each C name has its standard meaning and, where there is one, the nakshatra syllable it fits, so a family working from the Moon’s pada can see at a glance which names suit their baby. Only names in real use in India are included.
In Indian names C almost always stands for the च of Chandra and Chetan, sounded as in the English word chair, and Ch and C mean the same sound. The aspirated छ is written Chh, as in Chhaya, and it has its own place in the nakshatra table.
Boy names starting with C
| Name | Meaning | Nakshatra syllable |
|---|---|---|
| Chaitanya | consciousness, awareness | Ashwini (Che) |
| Chaitra | the first month of the Hindu year | Ashwini (Che) |
| Chakradhar | bearer of the discus, a name of Vishnu | Revati (Cha) |
| Chakrapani | one with the discus in hand, a name of Vishnu | Revati (Cha) |
| Chakshu | eye | Revati (Cha) |
| Chaman | garden | Revati (Cha) |
| Chanakya | the ancient strategist and teacher | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandan | sandalwood | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandra | the moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrachur | one with the moon on the crest, a name of Shiva | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrahas | Shiva’s crescent-shaped sword, moon-like smile | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrakant | moonstone, one dear to the moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandraprakash | moonlight | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrashekhar | one with the moon in his hair, a name of Shiva | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandresh | lord of the moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Charan | feet | Revati (Cha) |
| Charudatta | gift of beauty | Revati (Cha) |
| Chaturbhuj | four-armed, a name of Vishnu | Revati (Cha) |
| Chetan | consciousness, awareness | Ashwini (Che) |
| Chetas | mind, consciousness | Ashwini (Che) |
| Chidananda | bliss of consciousness | Revati (Chi) |
| Chinmay | full of consciousness | Revati (Chi) |
| Chintamani | wish-fulfilling jewel, a name of Ganesha | Revati (Chi) |
| Chintan | contemplation, thought | Revati (Chi) |
| Chirag | lamp | Revati (Chi) |
| Chiranjeev | long-lived | Revati (Chi) |
| Chirayu | long-lived | Revati (Chi) |
| Chitrasen | name of a Gandharva king | Revati (Chi) |
| Chittaranjan | delight of the mind | Revati (Chi) |
| Chudamani | crest jewel | Ashwini (Chu) |
Girl names starting with C
| Name | Meaning | Nakshatra syllable |
|---|---|---|
| Chaitali | born in the month of Chaitra, of spring | Ashwini (Che) |
| Chakori | a partridge said to love the moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Chameli | jasmine | Revati (Cha) |
| Champa | a fragrant flower | Revati (Cha) |
| Champakali | the bud of the champa flower | Revati (Cha) |
| Chanda | moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandana | sandalwood | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandni | moonlight | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrabhaga | the name of a river, the Chenab | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrakala | a phase of the moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrakanta | moonstone, beloved of the moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandraprabha | light of the moon | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrika | moonlight | Revati (Cha) |
| Chandrima | moonlight | Revati (Cha) |
| Charu | beautiful | Revati (Cha) |
| Charulata | beautiful creeper | Revati (Cha) |
| Charvi | beautiful | Revati (Cha) |
| Chetana | consciousness, awareness | Ashwini (Che) |
| Chetna | consciousness, awareness | Ashwini (Che) |
| Chhavi | image, radiance | Ardra (Chha) |
| Chhaya | shade, shadow | Ardra (Chha) |
| Chinmayi | full of consciousness | Revati (Chi) |
| Chirantana | eternal | Revati (Chi) |
| Chiti | consciousness | Revati (Chi) |
| Chitra | picture, wonderful | Revati (Chi) |
| Chitralekha | a portrait, a name from the Puranas | Revati (Chi) |
| Chitrangada | the wife of Arjuna | Revati (Chi) |
C in the nakshatra table
The 108 naming syllables include 6 that begin with C: Chu in Ashwini pada 1, Che in Ashwini pada 2, Cho in Ashwini pada 3, Chha in Ardra pada 4, Cha in Revati pada 3 and Chi in Revati pada 4. A baby whose Moon falls in one of those C padas takes that sound, and the C names above that match are shown in the last column of each table.
C in the rashi chart
In the first-letter chart, C belongs to Mithuna and Meena. Which of these signs a C name goes to depends on its Devanagari sound, as set out on each rashi page.
Move on to the previous letter, B and the next letter, D, return to the letters index, or search every name together in the name finder. For the C names above, the baby names hub has a page for each of the 27 nakshatras, and the free nakshatra calculator works out your baby’s pada from the birth details.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What are some Indian baby names that start with C?
Among boys, Chaitanya, Chaitra, Chakradhar are on this page and 27 more. Among girls, Chaitali, Chakori, Chameli are listed with 24 more. The tables above give every name with its meaning.
↳ Do all C names have a nakshatra syllable?
57 of the 57 names on this page fit one of the 108 syllables. The other 0 begin with a sound that no pada gives, so a family following the nakshatra rule would not use a name that starts with C.
↳ Which rashi is the letter C in?
The chart places C in Mithuna and Meena.
↳ Are the C names here real and traditional?
Yes. Every C name on this page is in real use in India with a standard meaning, drawn from Sanskrit, Hindi or regional tradition. A C name whose meaning could not be confirmed is left out.