Ambika is one of the most ancient and sacred Hindu baby girl names, meaning little mother, the divine mother, and a powerful name for the goddess Durga in one of her most beloved forms. In Sanskrit, Ambika literally means mother — but in the Hindu tradition it is used as a name for the supreme goddess herself, the divine mother who is the source, sustainer, and protector of all creation. In the Devi Mahatmya, one of the most important Hindu texts on goddess worship, Ambika is the name used for the goddess in her most beautiful and fierce manifestation when she defeats the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Naming a daughter Ambika is invoking the protection and grace of the divine mother in her most powerful form. The name is especially beloved in South India, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, and carries a warmth, strength, and motherly grace that resonates with families across all traditions of Hindu devotion.