Girl nameCurrently #1,021 in the USFalling
Tara
TAR-uh//ˈtɑːrə//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19724 lettersStarts with T
Meaning & origin
Hill (Irish); star (Sanskrit)
Tara has two distinct roots: in Irish tradition it refers to the Hill of Tara, ancient seat of the High Kings of Ireland, while in Sanskrit and Buddhist tradition it means 'star' and names an important bodhisattva figure. Its cross-cultural resonance and simple sound have kept it steadily popular.
Tara's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Tara |
|---|---|
| 1939 | 7 |
| 1940 | 13 |
| 1941 | 14 |
| 1942 | 21 |
| 1943 | 24 |
| 1944 | 27 |
| 1945 | 28 |
| 1946 | 56 |
| 1947 | 46 |
| 1948 | 73 |
| 1949 | 90 |
| 1950 | 102 |
| 1951 | 99 |
| 1952 | 140 |
| 1953 | 151 |
| 1954 | 259 |
| 1955 | 432 |
| 1956 | 452 |
| 1957 | 463 |
| 1958 | 467 |
| 1959 | 610 |
| 1960 | 684 |
| 1961 | 942 |
| 1962 | 1,103 |
| 1963 | 1,135 |
| 1964 | 1,241 |
| 1965 | 1,173 |
| 1966 | 1,296 |
| 1967 | 1,288 |
| 1968 | 2,194 |
| 1969 | 3,527 |
| 1970 | 5,352 |
| 1971 | 6,357 |
| 1972 | 7,268 |
| 1973 | 6,724 |
| 1974 | 6,681 |
| 1975 | 6,477 |
| 1976 | 6,053 |
| 1977 | 7,221 |
| 1978 | 6,358 |
| 1979 | 6,833 |
| 1980 | 6,311 |
| 1981 | 6,387 |
| 1982 | 6,552 |
| 1983 | 6,291 |
| 1984 | 6,298 |
| 1985 | 6,117 |
| 1986 | 5,105 |
| 1987 | 4,466 |
| 1988 | 4,625 |
| 1989 | 4,388 |
| 1990 | 3,844 |
| 1991 | 3,335 |
| 1992 | 2,847 |
| 1993 | 2,476 |
| 1994 | 2,194 |
| 1995 | 2,024 |
| 1996 | 1,899 |
| 1997 | 1,768 |
| 1998 | 1,637 |
| 1999 | 1,398 |
| 2000 | 1,338 |
| 2001 | 1,159 |
| 2002 | 1,060 |
| 2003 | 927 |
| 2004 | 977 |
| 2005 | 929 |
| 2006 | 685 |
| 2007 | 581 |
| 2008 | 491 |
| 2009 | 425 |
| 2010 | 355 |
| 2011 | 303 |
| 2012 | 336 |
| 2013 | 282 |
| 2014 | 301 |
| 2015 | 301 |
| 2016 | 261 |
| 2017 | 265 |
| 2018 | 250 |
| 2019 | 256 |
| 2020 | 201 |
| 2021 | 212 |
| 2022 | 240 |
| 2023 | 208 |
| 2024 | 247 |
Tara through the decades
- Tara peaked in 1972, when 7,268 babies were named Tara in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Tara has fallen 48% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Tara currently ranks #1,021 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Tara
Variants & spellings
Tarah