Tara (name)
Encyclopedia
Tara is a given name with multiple meanings in different cultures.
It is also sometimes a nickname for Tamara
, as an alternative to Tammy
. In the Royal Engineers it is a common for a Sergeant Major to be referred to as Tara, after the wrestler who was a Sergeant Major and served in Burma during World War II
, although the practice is now dying out.
The name is somewhat dated in the United States
, being most popular during the 1970s (like Tamara
), but is still very popular in Ireland
and Australia
. Its American popularity was probably due to Tara being the name of the family plantation
in the 1939 movie Gone with the Wind
. It was the name of Tara King
, a character in the 1960s British television The Avengers
. It was also the name of Tara Martin, a popular character on the American soap opera All My Children
in the early 1970s. These characters probably contributed to the name's rise in popularity during the 1970s. In Ireland, from 2000–2005 it ranked between the 30th and 40th most popular girl's name.
The name Tara is currently accepted as being exclusively a female name in Western societies, although there have been men who carried the name (such as Tara Browne
). It is also considered a female name in the east, due to its connection to several goddesses. For instance, Tara
is a female Buddha in Buddhism
and a goddess
in Hinduism.
Taira,
Tagarah,
Taragh,
Terra,
Tera,
Thara,
and
Tariogh.
It is also sometimes a nickname for Tamara
Tamara (name)
Tamara is a female given name in various languages. In Arabic, Georgian, Hebrew, Russian and other Slavic languages, Italian, Armenian and other European languages, Tamara is derived from the Biblical name "Tamar", meaning palm tree. The name also occurs in Sanskrit meaning spice...
, as an alternative to Tammy
Tammy (given name)
Tammy is a feminine given name. It can be a short form of the names Taimur, Tamsin, Thomasina, or Tamara. Tamsin and Thomasina are feminine versions of the name Thomas, a Greek form of the Aramaic name Te'oma, meaning twin. Tamara is a Russian form of the Hebrew name Tamar, which means "palm tree."...
. In the Royal Engineers it is a common for a Sergeant Major to be referred to as Tara, after the wrestler who was a Sergeant Major and served in Burma during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, although the practice is now dying out.
The name is somewhat dated in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, being most popular during the 1970s (like Tamara
Tamara (name)
Tamara is a female given name in various languages. In Arabic, Georgian, Hebrew, Russian and other Slavic languages, Italian, Armenian and other European languages, Tamara is derived from the Biblical name "Tamar", meaning palm tree. The name also occurs in Sanskrit meaning spice...
), but is still very popular in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Its American popularity was probably due to Tara being the name of the family plantation
Tara Plantation
Tara, the fictional plantation found in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind, was located near Jonesborough , Georgia...
in the 1939 movie Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
. It was the name of Tara King
Tara King
Tara King is a fictional character of British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers, played by canadian actress Linda Thorson. Sixth partner of agent John Steed , she appeared in season 6 of the series , playing 33 episodes. She is Emma Peel successor...
, a character in the 1960s British television The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
. It was also the name of Tara Martin, a popular character on the American soap opera All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
in the early 1970s. These characters probably contributed to the name's rise in popularity during the 1970s. In Ireland, from 2000–2005 it ranked between the 30th and 40th most popular girl's name.
The name Tara is currently accepted as being exclusively a female name in Western societies, although there have been men who carried the name (such as Tara Browne
Tara Browne
The Honourable Tara Browne was a young London socialite. He is perhaps most famous today for serving as an inspiration of the Beatles song "A Day in the Life".-Biography:...
). It is also considered a female name in the east, due to its connection to several goddesses. For instance, Tara
Tara (Buddhism)
Tara or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements...
is a female Buddha in Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and a goddess
Tara (Devi)
In Hinduism, the goddess Tara meaning "star" is the second of the Dasa Mahavidyas or "Great Wisdom [goddesses]", Tantric manifestations of Mahadevi, Kali, or Parvati...
in Hinduism.
Meanings in different languages
- Irish Gaelic: refers to the Hill of TaraHill of TaraThe Hill of Tara , located near the River Boyne, is an archaeological complex that runs between Navan and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland...
, or Teamhair na Rí, the seat of the kings of Ireland from neolithic times (c. 5000 BC) to the 6th century or later. With this reference, Tara is taken to mean "Queen" - SanskritSanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, HindiHindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, UrduUrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, MarathiMarathi languageMarathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
, PersianPersian languagePersian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, PunjabiPunjabi languagePunjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, KurdishKurdish languageKurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
, BengaliBengali languageBengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, TeluguTelugu languageTelugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
: "Star"
Alternative spellings
Variant forms includeTaira,
Tagarah,
Taragh,
Terra,
Tera,
Thara,
and
Tariogh.
Deities
- Tara (Buddhism)Tara (Buddhism)Tara or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements...
, is a tantric meditation deity in Tibetan Buddhism, actually the generic name for a set of similar bodhisattvas - Tara (Devi)Tara (Devi)In Hinduism, the goddess Tara meaning "star" is the second of the Dasa Mahavidyas or "Great Wisdom [goddesses]", Tantric manifestations of Mahadevi, Kali, or Parvati...
, a Hindu goddess and consort of Shiva
Women
- Tara (actress)Tara (actress)Tara is an Assamese film actress, who has worked in Assamese, Manipuri, Punjabi and Hindi films in a career extending more than 50 years...
, from the Assamese film industry - Tara (Kannada actress)Tara (Kannada actress)Tara is a Kannada film actress. She won the Best Actress award in the 2005 National Film Awards for her role in the film Hasina , which also received the Best Film on Family Welfare award...
- Tara CampbellTara CampbellTara Campbell is a Canadian water polo player. She is a member of the Women's National Team that claimed the bronze medal at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montréal, Québec, and the silver medal at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy...
, Canadian water polo player - Tara ConnerTara ConnerTara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
, Miss USA 2006 - Tara Cross-BattleTara Cross-BattleTara Cross-Battle is a retired female volleyball player from the United States, who won the bronze medal with the USA National Women's Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain...
, American volleyball player - Tara FitzGeraldTara FitzgeraldTara Anne Cassandra Fitzgerald is an English actress who has appeared in feature films, television, radio and the stage....
, English actress - Tara Leigh Patrick, American model and entertainer
- Tara LipinskiTara LipinskiTara Kristen Lipinski is an American figure skater. At the age of 15, she won the Ladies' Singles Olympic gold medal in figure skating at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Lipinski remains the youngest individual gold medalist in the history of the Olympic Winter Games. She is also the 1997 World...
, American figure skater - Tara McDonaldTara McDonaldTara McDonald is an English songwriter and vocalist widely recognised for a string of crossover hits both internationally and in the UK.Tara achieved success working with Armand Van Helden and co-writing with Axwell on the chart hits ‘My My My’ and ‘Feel The Vibe’. Both these projects debuted at #1...
, English songwriter and vocalist - Tara McLeod, Canadian guitarist
- Tara MossTara MossTara Moss is a bestselling Canadian-Australian author, television presenter, journalist and former model....
, Canadian-Australian author - Tara OramTara OramTara Oram is a Canadian country music recording artist and a top six finalist on the fifth season of Canadian Idol in 2007. In March 2009 Oram received an ECMA for Country Recording of the Year Award.-Early life:Oram was born in Gander, Newfoundland but moved frequently during her early years...
, Canadian Country singer - Tara Palmer-TomkinsonTara Palmer-TomkinsonTara Palmer-Tomkinson also known as T P-T, is an English socialite, "it girl", television presenter, columnist and model...
, English socialite - Tara ReidTara ReidTara Donna Reid is an American actress. Reid has acted on television shows such as Saved By The Bell: The New Class, Days of our Lives, California Dreams, and Scrubs....
, American actress - Tara StrongTara StrongTara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
, Canadian-American actress - Lisa Marie VaronLisa Marie VaronLisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent...
, professional wrestler who uses the ring name Tara
Fictional characters
- Tara of Helium, a princess in the BarsoomBarsoomBarsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote close to 100 action adventure stories in various genres in the first half of the 20th century, and is now best known as the creator of the character Tarzan...
novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs - Tara in the TV series Kim Possible
- TaraTara (comics)Tara is a fictional gynoid superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She was a member of the New Invaders.-Fictional character biography:Tara, an "Eve-series synthetic humanoid", was apparently created by the U.S. government to serve as a special agent and/or weapon. Her technology was derived in...
, an android in Marvel Comics' New Invaders - Tara in the film ShroomsShrooms (film)Shrooms is a 2007 horror film about a group of American students and their Irish guide who are stalked by a serial killer while out in the woods looking for psilocybin mushrooms...
- Tara, a sword and sorcery heroine in DC Comics' WarlordWarlord (comics)The Warlord is a sword and sorcery comic book published by DC Comics. The series and titular character debuted in 1st Issue Special #8 , and was created by Mike Grell.-Publication history:...
- Tara FremontTara FremontTara Fremont is a fictional character appearing in the Femforce comic book, published by AC Comics. She is an attractive young woman with long dark hair, who is usually drawn wearing either a combat uniform or a green camouflage swimsuit...
, also called "Tara, the Jungle Girl" and "Too Tall Tara", a superhero in AC Comics - Tara KingTara KingTara King is a fictional character of British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers, played by canadian actress Linda Thorson. Sixth partner of agent John Steed , she appeared in season 6 of the series , playing 33 episodes. She is Emma Peel successor...
in TV series The Avengers - Tara KnowlesTara KnowlesDr. Tara Knowles is a character on the FX drama Sons of Anarchy played by Maggie Siff. She is the love interest of the main character, Jax Teller, and the mother of his second child Thomas Teller.-Early life:...
in TV series Sons of Anarchy - Tara*Starr Lane in the novels P.S. Longer Letter LaterP.S. Longer Letter LaterP.S. Longer Letter Later is an epistolary novel written by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin in 1998.It is a novel in letters and is written as a year-long correspondence between two twelve-year-old girls, Tara*Starr and Elizabeth.-Plot:...
and Snail Mail No MoreSnail Mail No MoreSnail Mail No More is a book published in 2000 by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin. It is the sequel to P.S. Longer Letter Later.-Plot:Snail Mail address...
by Ann M. Martin and Paula Danziger - Tara MaclayTara MaclayTara Maclay is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed by Amber Benson from the fourth to the sixth season until the character's death. Tara is a shy young woman with magical talents who falls in love...
in TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Tara MehtaTara MehtaTara Mehta is a comic book character from the Devi comic book by Virgin Comics.-Biography:Tara Mehta was the latest host for the avatar of the gods, Devi, who was incarnated onto the mortal plane every time the threat of Lord Bala presented itself...
, an incarnate deity in Virgin Comics' Devi comic book - Tara ThorntonTara ThorntonTara Mae Thornton is a fictional character in Charlaine Harris's The Southern Vampire Mysteries and their television adaptation, HBO's True Blood.-Biography:...
in the TV series True Blood - Tara Wilson in TV series The Practice and its spinoff Boston Legal