'Teased for my name in America, questioned in India': Woman named India opens up about her love-hate relationship with her name

For most people, their name is just part of who they are. But for India Witkin, it became a lifelong journey of identity, belonging, and pride. The New York-based content creator shared how she spent years feeling "love-hate relationship" about her name — teased in America, questioned in India — before finally embracing it as a symbol of her roots and heritage.

In a heartfelt post, India shared that as a child, she often felt self-conscious about her name. Growing up in the US, her peers would make fun of it, while in India, people would ask endless questions about why she was named after the country itself. For years, she admitted, she cared too much about others’ opinions and couldn’t see the beauty or meaning behind it.

It wasn’t until she turned 18 that her perspective began to change. She even wrote her college essay about her name, using it as a way to explore her evolving sense of self. Now, at 29, she says she’s deeply grateful to her grandmother — her nani — for suggesting it. India revealed that just a week before she was born, her parents were still struggling to choose a name. That’s when her grandmother casually suggested “India,” believing it would be a name that would always remind her of her roots. Her parents loved the idea and went with it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by India Witkin (@indiawitkin)

What did the netizens say?

Several people in the comments shared their thoughts and admiration for her story. One person mentioned that even cricketers like Jonty Rhodes and David Warner named their daughters India and Indi out of love for the country. Another called her name beautiful and fitting. Some pointed out that India is actually a common name in Latin America, with several female artists sharing it. Others simply praised her story and reminded her to take pride in a name that represents one of the world’s oldest and most diverse civilisations.