Priya is the Sanskrit word for "beloved," "dear," or "darling" — used both as a common noun (the beloved one) and as a name. It is one of the oldest and most beloved names in the Indian tradition, used in Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain communities across South Asia.
The name appears in Sanskrit poetry and the Mahabharata, where Priya is used as an epithet for many female characters. It is also a common second element in compound names — Manipriya ("dear to the mind"), Akshipriya ("dear to the eye").
Among the most common girl names in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Increasingly visible in the U.S. and U.K. as parents seek names with global recognition and beautiful meaning.
Priya reduces to one — the number of independence and leadership.