In this work, effects of hyper-elastic rubber material properties on the indentation load-deflection curve and subindenter deformation are examined via finite element (FE) analyses. An optimal location for data analysis is selected, which features maximum strain energy density and negligible frictional effect. We then contrive two normalized functions, which map an indentation load vs. deflection curve into a strain energy density vs. first invariant curve. From the strain energy density vs. first invariant curve, we can extract the rubber material properties. This new spherical indentation approach produces the rubber material properties in a manner more effective than the common uniaxial tensile/com-pression tests. The indentation approach successfully measures the rubber material properties and the corresponding nominal stress-strain curve with an average error less than 3%.