Chandara as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Chandara

What is the meaning of the name Chandara ?

The baby name Chandara is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /tʃənˈdɑːrə/ (chuhn-DAH-rah).

Chandara is Khmer, Sanskrit in Origin.

Chandara is most strongly associated with Khmer (Cambodian) naming, where it blends Indic and native elements. It draws on Sanskrit Chandra, “moon,” and aligns with Khmer dara, “star” (ultimately from Sanskrit tārā). As a compound, it evokes “moon and stars” or “moonlit star,” and is used for girls and boys, though more often feminine. Through the spread of Sanskritized vocabulary across mainland Southeast Asia, related forms occur in Thai and Lao, where cognates of Chandra yield meanings like “moon” or “moonlight.”

In Cambodia the name appears in classical poetry and modern usage, including the diaspora, and may be written together or spaced as Chan Dara. It is rarer in South Asia, where Chandra predominates. Variants and related forms include Chandra, Chantra/Chanthra, Chantara, Chanthara, Chanra, and Dara; spellings with C (Candara) also appear. Diminutives often shorten to Dara, while honorifics or gender markers may be added in compound names.