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Does anyone know anything about the 'minder' (usually pron. MIHN-der) element in certain Indian or Hindu female names? Two examples that come to mind are character 'Jesminder' from the movie Bend it like Beckham, who was portrayed by the actress Parminder Nagra. I'm wondering if the 'minder' element means anything or comes from a Hindu word. Thanks for your help!
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The etymological division is at -inder which is a Punjabi version of Sanskrit indra, see my post at http://www.behindthename.com/bb/arcview.php?id=2844923&board=gen for a look at that element. (Incidentally, it has been correctly pointed out that the etymological link between Uranos and varuNa that I claimed there has little support). It is very common element in names among the adherents of Sikhism, which is traditionally considered a different religion than Hinduism; and Sikh names tend to be unisex.
parama, superlative of para, cognate with English far and meaning beyond, means extreme or most. That gives parminder. The element jas- is easy to explain as in my post referred to above, but the -m- element there, unless analogical, I can't explain.
But then, I do not know Punjabi, and the Sikh culture (there are Hindu, Muslim and Sikh Punjabis) has a rich tradition of beautiful names and places emphasis on name meanings, though they are sometimes folk etymological. You might get a better answer from someone who knows the language.
parama, superlative of para, cognate with English far and meaning beyond, means extreme or most. That gives parminder. The element jas- is easy to explain as in my post referred to above, but the -m- element there, unless analogical, I can't explain.
But then, I do not know Punjabi, and the Sikh culture (there are Hindu, Muslim and Sikh Punjabis) has a rich tradition of beautiful names and places emphasis on name meanings, though they are sometimes folk etymological. You might get a better answer from someone who knows the language.
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If you search names ending in -inder on this site, they all seem to refer to the god Indra.
http://www.behindthename.com/php/search.php?nmd=n&terms=*inder&submit=Go
http://www.behindthename.com/php/search.php?nmd=n&terms=*inder&submit=Go
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