Tara (given name)

Tara is a given name with multiple meanings in different cultures.

The name is popular in Ireland and Australia. In Ireland, it is derived from The Hill of Tara which is an archaeological site located near the River Boyne in County Meath, and which according to tradition, was the seat of the High King of Ireland. The name was popular in the United States during the 1970s, probably due to Tara being the name of the O'Hara's plantation in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind, and the characters Tara King in the 1960s British television series The Avengers and Tara Martin on the American soap opera All My Children in the early 1970s. In Ireland, from 2000–2005 it ranked between the 30th and 40th most popular girl's name.

Since 1968 the name Tara is accepted as being a female name in Western societies, although there have been men who carried the name (such as Tara Browne). It is also often considered a female name in Asia, due to its connection to several goddesses. For instance, Tara is a female Buddha in Buddhism and Tara is also a goddess in Hinduism.

Tara is also used as a male or female name for Sikhs. Tara is a word originating from Sanskrit, meaning star, and it symbolises the light of the soul.