Modi, alternatively spelled Mody, is a surname in India, most commonly found among people from the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. The surname Modi doesn't belong to any particular community, and is distributed among various religions, including Hindus, Jains, Muslims and Parsis.
Modi or Mody is also an unrelated Nigerien surname, and an unrelated Serer and Bambara first name (sometimes spelt Moodi or Moody in Serer) – found amongst the Serer community of Senegal and the Gambia (the Senegambia region), and the Bambara community of Mali and the Senegambia, in West Africa. In Bambara, Modi or Mody is derived from the name Modibo, which means "master" or "teacher". The name is thus synonymous with wisdom and knowledge as a first name in West Africa, particularly in the Senegambia region, especially those Senegambian tribes with a long history of resisting Islamization like the Serer, and to some extent, the Bambara. It should not be confused with the Wolof corruption of the Arabic name Muhammadou, Wolofized to Modou.
List
Notable people with the surname (or first or name) include:
Akash Modi (born 1995), American gymnast
Aman Lal Modi, Indian politician
Anju Modi, Indian costume designer
Anny Modi, Congolese feminist
Ashoka Mody (born 1956), Indian-American economist
Asit Kumarr Modi (born 1966), founder and director of Neela Tele Films
Avani Modi, Indian model and actress
Bhupendra Kumar Modi (born 1949), chairman of Spice Global
Charu Modi, Indian busninswoman, granddaughter of Gujarmal Modi
Chinu Modi (1939–2017), Indian poet
Dayawati Modi (1915–1996), wife of Gujarmal Modi
Edmund Mody (1495–1552), English soldier and politician
Gujarmal Modi (1902–1976), Indian industrialist and philanthropist, founder of Modinagar
Hirji Vacha Modi, Indian businessman
Hitesh Modi (born 1971), Kenyan cricketer
Homi Mody (1881–1969), Parsi businessman
Hormusjee Naorojee Mody (1838–1911), Indian businessman
Indravadan Modi (born 1926), an Indian pharmaceutical industry pioneer
Ishwar Modi (born 1940), an Indian sociologist
Jashodaben Modi (born 1952), wife of Narendra Modi
Jivanji Jamshedji Modi (1854–1933), Indian Zoroastrian priest
Kal Penn (born 1977), stage name of Kalpen Suresh Modi, American actor
Karishma Modi (born 1980), an Indian model and actress
Krishan Kumar Modi (born 1940), Indian businessman, son of Gujarmal Modi
Lalit Modi, Chief Commissioner of the Indian Premier League
Laura Modi, Irish-American businesswoman
Manhar Modi, Indian poet
Mukesh Modi Indian filmmaker
Murugappa Channaveerappa Modi (1916–2005), the Indian eye surgeon
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
Neena Modi, British physician
Nirav Modi, Indian fugitive jeweller and diamantaire
Noshir Mody, Indian-American composer
Piloo Mody, Indian architect and politician and one of the founding members of the Swatantra Party
Pramod Chandra Mody, Indian bureaucrat
Prem Prakash Modi (born 1968), Indian filmmaker
Purnesh Modi, Indian politician
Raj Modi (born 1959), Zimbabwean politician
Ramlal Chunilal Modi, Indian historian
Rusi Modi, Indian cricketer
Russi Mody (1918–2014), Indian businessman
Salifou Modi, Nigerien general, ambassador, and coupist
Samir Modi (born 1969), Indian entrepreneur
Sandeep Modi (born 1982), Indian filmmaker
Seema Mody, Indian journalist
Shrikrishan Modi, Indian politician
Sohrab Modi, Indian actor
Subhash Modi (born 1946), Kenyan cricket umpire
Sulochana Modi, Indian politician
Suresh Modi, Indian politician
Sushil Kumar Modi, Indian politician
Syed Modi, Indian badminton singles player.
Virali Modi (born 1991), disability rights activist
Vishnu Kumar Modi, Indian politician
William Mody (1524–1558), English politician
Yogesh Chander Modi, Indian police officer
Zia Mody, Indian lawyer