10 baby names that mean ‘truth’ or ‘righteousness’

Introduction

Naming a child in many Hindu families is an ethical as well as cultural act: a short prayer, a hoped-for quality, an invocation of lineage or scripture. Two closely linked virtues in Hindu vocabulary are satya — truth — and dharma — duty or righteousness. Another related Vedic concept is ṛta (rita), often glossed as cosmic order or the truth that sustains the world. Different texts and traditions emphasise these concepts in varied ways: Vedic hymns speak of ṛta, Upaniṣads and Vedānta explore truth as reality, and the Bhagavad Gītā and Dharmaśāstras discuss the lived demands of dharma. The names below draw on that linguistic and spiritual field. I note where meanings are primarily Vedic, classical, or popular, and where interpretations differ across schools.

How these names were chosen

• Each name is rooted in Sanskrit or in long-established usage in Indic languages and has a direct association with either truth (satya, ṛta) or righteousness (dharma, nīti, nyāya).
• Gender notes reflect common modern usage but names are often flexible (many are unisex in practice).
• Where relevant I add a short scriptural or cultural note; these are meant to indicate associations, not exclusive definitions.

Ten names that mean “truth” or “righteousness”

• Satya (सत्य) — unisex

  Meaning: “truth.” Root sense is moral and metaphysical truth. Cultural note: satya appears throughout the Vedas and Upaniṣads and is a central virtue in Bhagavad Gītā commentaries. Used widely across India as a given name for boys and girls.

• Satyam (सत्यम्) — usually male

  Meaning: “truth” (neuter form). Usage: Common in South India and in modern naming. Linguistic note: the -am ending is a Sanskrit nominal form often used in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada-speaking contexts.

• Satyavati (सत्यवती) — female

  Meaning: “truthful” or “possessing truth.” Cultural note: A well-known figure in the Mahābhārata, Satyavatī is the queen whose story begins a major dynastic sequence. Different storytellers emphasise different aspects of her character; the name remains associated with honesty and decisive agency.

• Satyendra (सत्येन्द्र) — male

  Meaning: “lord/leader of truth” (indra here as ‘lord’). Usage: an honourific-style compound often chosen to express aspiration that the child will uphold truth in leadership or conduct.

• Satyapriya (सत्यप्रिय) — unisex, often female

  Meaning: “one who loves truth” (priya = beloved/lover). Note: It conveys an inward inclination toward truth rather than a mere label; used in devotional and secular contexts.

• Rita / Ṛta (ऋत/रित) — female

  Meaning: “cosmic order, truth.” Vedic note: ṛta is a foundational concept in the Rgveda describing the natural and moral order that governs the cosmos. In some later traditions ṛta is subsumed by dharma, but the older Vedic flavour is preserved in this name.

• Ritambhara (रितम्बरा) — female

  Meaning: “bearer of ṛta” or “one who upholds truth/cosmic order.” Textual note: the compound occurs in classical Sanskrit and can be found in later devotional and poetic literature where it praises moral integrity aligned with cosmic law.

• Dharmendra (धर्मेन्द्र) — male

  Meaning: “lord of dharma” (dharma — ethical duty/righteousness). Cultural note: A compound used as a personal name across India; it signals an aspiration toward leadership grounded in righteous conduct. Different communities read dharma in caste-, stage-, and context-sensitive ways, so the name can have multiple resonances.

• Nitin / Nithin (नितिन् / नितिन) — male

  Meaning: derived from nīti — “policy, right conduct, ethics.” Usage: Popular contemporary name; it suggests someone versed in correct action or moral guidance. Interpretations vary: some take it to mean “one who follows right conduct,” others “one who teaches it.”

• Nyāya (न्याय) — unisex

  Meaning: “justice, right judgement.” Cultural note: Nyāya is also the name of a classical school of logic and epistemology (Nyāyaśāstra), where the term indicates sound reasoning and fairness. As a given name it carries connotations of fairness and discernment.

Choosing a name — practical notes

• Many families combine these roots with suffixes or prefixes (e.g., Satyaprakash, Dharmika) to fit sound and family traditions.
• Spellings and pronunciations vary by region and script; try the name aloud in your household language to check cadence and short forms.
• Religious schools may highlight different textual lineages: Śaiva, Vaiṣṇava, and Smārta commentators may favour particular epithets, and Vedic-minded families may prefer names linked to ṛta or the Ṛgveda.
• If you consult an astrologer or family priest for naming ceremonies, be clear whether the recommendation is linguistic, ritual, or astrological; these are distinct considerations.

Closing thought

A name that invokes truth or righteousness is both a blessing and an ethical reminder. Across Hindu thought the same word can point inward (personal honesty), outward (just action), or cosmically (order that sustains the world). That richness is what gives these names their enduring appeal.