Chantara as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Chantara

What is the meaning of the name Chantara ?

The baby name Chantara is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced CHAN-tah-rah (approx. /ˈtʃæntərə/).

Chantara is Khmer in Origin.

Chantara is a feminine given name in mainland Southeast Asia, especially Khmer (Cambodian), Lao, and Thai communities, deriving from Sanskrit candra, “moon.” In these languages it carries senses such as “moon,” “moonlight,” or “moon-like radiance,” a poetic image associated with calm beauty and good fortune. Khmer forms often emphasize the luminous meaning; speakers gloss related spellings as “moonlight.”

The name entered regional usage through long-standing Indic influence on Khmer and Tai languages and appears in classical verse, temple inscriptions, and later courtly naming traditions. Today it remains popular at home and in the diaspora, and in some cases also occurs as a family name. Common variants and transliterations include Chanthara, Chantra, Chanthra, Chantrea/Chanthrea, Chantira/Chanthira, Chandara, and the cognate Chandra; Thai-related spellings such as Jantra also appear. Nicknames may shorten to Chan or Tara.