Girl · Sanskrit · Hindu
Tara
ताराSay it TAA-raa
- Meaning
- A star or asterism; also the pupil of the eye Monier-Williams, p. 443
- Say it
- TAA-raa
- Written
- तारा
- Other spellings
- Taara
- First sound
- ता · Tula rashi
Tara
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Tara meaning
Tara (तारा) is a Hindu girl's name of Sanskrit origin. By its first sound, ता, it is a Tula rashi name (Swati nakshatra) in the North Indian table.
A star or asterism; also the pupil of the eye
Tara (तारा) is Sanskrit tārā, "a fixed star" or asterism, the feminine of tāra; Monier-Williams also gives the pupil of the eye. Several famous figures carry the name. In the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata Tārā is the wife of the monkey king Bālin (Vāli) and mother of Aṅgada, remembered for warning Bālin before his final duel with Sugrīva. In the Mahābhārata, Harivaṃśa and Purāṇas she is the wife of Bṛhaspati, guru of the gods, who was carried off by the moon god Soma. MW also records Tārā as a Buddhist goddess and as a form of Dākṣāyaṇī worshipped on Mount Kiṣkindhā. Indian name lists give it as "star", the same as the dictionary.
Source: Monier-Williams, Sanskrit–English Dictionary (1899), p. 443 · entry tārā · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Monier-Williams, tārā, p. 443 · Wikipedia, Tara (Ramayana)
Famous namesakes
- Tārā, queen of Kiṣkindhā in the Rāmāyaṇa
- Tārā, wife of Bṛhaspati in the Purāṇas
- Tārā, a Buddhist goddess
Popularity abroad
- #847 United States, girls 2025 (new in the top 1,000 since 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #444 England and Wales, girls 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Fits your syllable
First sound ता
Swati nakshatra, pada 4 · Tula rashi
North Indian table. Tables vary by region and family tradition, so confirm with your priest.
Spellings
Tara · Taara