India (given name)
India is a feminine given name derived from the name of the country India, which takes its name from the Indus River. The name was used for India Wilkes, a character in the novel and movie "Gone with the Wind". Its use for girls in England began during the British rule in India during the 19th century. It has been used for daughters of aristocratic families in England that had ties to Colonial India, such as India Hicks. Just like names derived from seasons like Summer, Dawn, Solstice, Autumn are feminine, India is internationally recognized as a female name since it is the name of a country and it had been used as a feminine given name for more than hundred years in England and the U.S. Although India is a feminine given name in the world, it is not a popular given name in India. Girls who are given this name are usually called with a nickname "Indy", or "Indie" which are also given names for girls in English speaking countries.
History of Bengal
Storytellers linked Bengal's name to the Generations of Noah. According to the tale, Bengal (Bong) is the son of Hind (India), who in turn is the son of Ham (Egypt), who in turn is the son of Noah.
An interesting theory of the origin of the name is provided by "Abu'l-Fazl" in his "Ain-i-Akbari". According to him, "[T]he original name of Bengal was Bung, and the suffix ""al"" came to be added to it from the fact that the ancient rajahs of this land raised mounds of earth 10 feet high and 20 in breadth in lowlands at the foot of the hills which were called "al". From this suffix added to the Bung, the name Bengal arose and gained currency".