- By Ridam Sharma
- Sat, 24 May 2025 06:10 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
List of Historical Names of India: The country of billions, India, is known for its rich heritage, diverse culture and thousands of years-long legacy. The land of secularisation is also one of the oldest civilisations across the globe. The soil of India has witnessed many eras, and over all these times, many poets, travellers, and rulers have referred to this land by various names, each reflecting a unique aspect of India’s diverse geography, culture, or even mythology. To learn more, here’s a list of historical names of India, as per Worldhistory.org and Medium.
List Of Historical Names Of India:
Bharat
Bharat is one of the oldest and most significant names for India. It originates from the legendary King Bharata, a warrior in the Mahabharata and ancient Puranic texts, which describe Bharat as the land between the Southern oceans and the Northern Himalayas. Today, Bharat is the official name of the country in Hindi and several Indian languages.
India
The name India comes from the Indus River, known as Sindhu in Sanskrit. Ancient Greeks referred to the land east of the Indus as “Indoi,” meaning the people of the Indus. This name was adopted by the West and became the internationally recognised name for the country.
Hindustan
Hindustan gained popularity during the medieval period, especially in Persian and Islamic literature. The term combines “Hindu” (from Sindhu) and “stan” (meaning land), referring primarily to the northern and central parts of the subcontinent.
Aryavarta
Aryavarta means the Land of the Aryans. The name was found in ancient Sanskrit texts. It described the region where the Aryan civilisation flourished, mainly the northern plains of India.
Jambudvipa
Jambudvipa is an ancient cosmological term, which means the Island Of The Jambu Tree. Early Indian texts used it to describe the Indian subcontinent, considering it the centre of the known world.
Saptsindhu
Saptsindhu translates in English as the Land of the Seven Rivers, which highlights fertile river valleys, especially in the Punjab region, that catapulted early Vedic civilisation.
Hind
Hind is the Persian and Arabic adaptation of Sindhu. It became the common term for India in West Asia and is still used in several languages across the nation.
Bharatavarsha
Bharatavarsha means the Land of Bharat and is mentioned in ancient scriptures. It reflects the idea of a unified subcontinent under the legacy of King Bharata.
Sone Ki Chidiya
India was also known as the Golden Bird, before British rule. This poetic name celebrates India’s legendary wealth and prosperity, often mentioned by ancient travellers and chroniclers.
Nabhivarsha
Nabhivarsha is an ancient name linked to King Nabhi, considered a forefather of the Indian people in few mythologies.
Dravida
Dravida refers to southern India, which is a home to the Dravidian languages and cultures. Ancient texts often used this name to distinguish the region from Aryavarta in the north.
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