Etymology

Etymology of the names of India

The name India /'ɪndiə/ is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, from Sanskrit Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River.[6] The ancient Greeks referred to the ancient Indians as Indoi, the people of the Indus.[7] The Constitution of India and common usage in various Indian languages also recognise Bharat (Hindi: भारत; /bʰɑːrət̪/ (help·info)) as an official name of equal status. Hindustan (Hindi: हिंदुस्तान; Urdu: هندوستان; /hin̪d̪ust̪ɑːn/ (info)), which is the Persian word for “Land of the Hindus” and historically referred to northern India, is also occasionally used as a synonym for all of India.[8]