Tara
Borrowed from Irish Teamhrach, genitive of Teamhair, from Old Irish Temair (literally “high place”).
Every Tara since 1939 — 176,355 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tara
Tara is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #847 in 2025 with 322 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1939, 176,355 American babies have been named Tara. Its peak came in 1972, when 7,268 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 322 | #847 | — | — |
| 2024 | 249 | #1,020 | — | — |
| 2023 | 208 | #1,163 | — | — |
| 2022 | 240 | #1,061 | — | — |
| 2021 | 212 | #1,158 | — | — |
| 2020 | 201 | #1,164 | — | — |
| 2019 | 257 | #1,006 | — | — |
| 2018 | 250 | #1,034 | — | — |
| 2017 | 265 | #984 | — | — |
| 2016 | 261 | #1,017 | — | — |
| 2015 | 301 | #914 | — | — |
| 2014 | 301 | #906 | — | — |
| 2013 | 282 | #909 | — | — |
| 2012 | 336 | #799 | — | — |
| 2011 | 303 | #864 | — | — |
| 2010 | 355 | #775 | — | — |
| 2009 | 425 | #690 | — | — |
| 2008 | 491 | #630 | — | — |
| 2007 | 581 | #538 | — | — |
| 2006 | 685 | #463 | — | — |
| 2005 | 929 | #341 | — | — |
| 2004 | 977 | #323 | — | — |
| 2003 | 927 | #336 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,060 | #295 | — | — |
| 2001 | 1,159 | #273 | — | — |
| 2000 | 1,338 | #239 | — | — |
| 1995 | 2,023 | #158 | — | — |
| 1990 | 3,826 | #85 | 18 | #3,446 |
| 1985 | 6,102 | #51 | 15 | #3,205 |
| 1980 | 6,283 | #43 | 27 | #2,048 |
| 1975 | 6,455 | #41 | 22 | #2,123 |
| 1970 | 5,329 | #69 | 22 | #1,934 |
| 1965 | 1,168 | #250 | 5 | #4,369 |
| 1960 | 684 | #367 | — | — |
| 1955 | 432 | #426 | — | — |
| 1950 | 102 | #884 | — | — |
| 1945 | 28 | #1,580 | — | — |
| 1940 | 13 | #2,402 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Tara
- Tara Reid Actor · b. 1975
- Tara Strong Actor · b. 1973
- Tara Fitzgerald Actor · b. 1967
- Tara Lipinski Skater · b. 1982
- Tara Buckman Actor · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tara mean?
Borrowed from Irish Teamhrach, genitive of Teamhair, from Old Irish Temair (literally “high place”).
How popular is the name Tara in 2025?
Tara ranked #847 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 322 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tara?
176,355 babies have been named Tara in the United States since 1939, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tara most popular?
Tara peaked in 1972, when 7,268 newborns received the name.
Is Tara a boy or girl name?
Tara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tara rising or falling?
Tara has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Tara?
Well-known people named Tara include Tara Reid (actor), Tara Strong (actor), Tara Fitzgerald (actor).