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Home › Baby Names Directory › Chandra

Chandra

♀ Girl

Pronounced CHUN-druh /ˈtʃʌn.drə/Medium

Meaning: From Sanskrit chandra, 'moon' (also the name of the Hindu lunar deity). It entered American use as an exotic-sounding girl's name in the 1970s.High

In 30 seconds: Chandra is a Sanskrit name meaning 'moon,' also the Hindu lunar deity (said 'CHUN-druh').
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Origin MediumSanskrit, Indian
MeaningFrom Sanskrit chandra, 'moon' (also the name of the Hindu lunar deity). It entered American use as an exotic-sounding girl's name in the 1970s.
U.S. rank (2023)#11381 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1975
Total births (all-time)≈ 17,282

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197519352023

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Chandra comes from Sanskrit chandra, 'moon,' and names the Hindu lunar god. In the United States it caught on as a soft, worldly-sounding girl's name during the 1970s, cresting around 1975 before slipping away, now marking that decade's fondness for globally-sourced names.

A few thousand American girls received it in all; Chandra now reads as a vintage 1970s pick with an ancient Sanskrit root.

Did you know? Chandra peaked around 1975 and faded within a couple of decades, part of the era's taste for melodic global names.
Overall data confidence 82%
References — Chandra — Sanskrit 'moon'; Hindu lunar deity

Variations

ChaundraChandaraShandra

Nicknames

ChanChandi

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Chandra…

Indira— a like Sanskrit-rooted name
Kamala— a same-source Indian name
Sandra— a like -andra sound of the era
Kendra— a like brisk two-beat name

Explore names like Chandra

By themesanskritvintagenature1970s

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Chandra mean?

Chandra is a Sanskrit name meaning 'moon,' and the name of the Hindu lunar deity.

How do you pronounce Chandra?

It's commonly said CHUN-druh /ˈtʃʌn.drə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Chandra a boy or girl name?

In the United States Chandra is used as a girl's name; in India it is used more broadly.

Is Chandra making a comeback?

Not widely — it's a nineteen-seventies favorite that has been uncommon since, a vintage name with a Sanskrit root.

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