Swara

♀ Girl

Pronounced SWAH-rah /ˈswɑ.rɑ/High

Meaning: From Sanskrit svara, 'musical note, tone, sound' — the seven swaras are Indian music's scaleHigh

In 30 seconds: A note of the eternal scale: Swara is the Sanskrit musical tone — sa re ga ma — the building block of every raga. To name a daughter Swara is to start the song.

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Origin HighSanskrit

MeaningFrom Sanskrit svara, 'musical note, tone, sound' — the seven swaras are Indian music's scale

U.S. rank (2025)#3382 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births46 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2018

Total births (all-time)≈ 957

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Swara comes from Sanskrit svara, 'note, tone, musical sound' — the seven swaras form the scale of Indian classical music, and the word also names vowels and the breath in yogic lore. Actress Swara Bhasker carries it in Bollywood.

In the U.S. it appears in Indian families. Rare, musical-note at the root, and melodic by definition.

Did you know? The seven swaras — sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni — are India's do-re-mi, said to echo animal cries from peacock to elephant; one name, a whole octave of tradition.

Overall data confidence 82%

Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary — svara — root meaning

Variations

SvaraSwarali

Nicknames

Swar

Famous Bearers

★Swara Bhasker (1988–present)
Indian film actress known for Bollywood character roles.

If you like Swara…

Shreya— a fellow melodious Sanskrit favorite

Meera— shares Swara's Sanskrit roots

Nyra— echoes that soft -ra sound

Aira— shares the -ra ending

Sahasra— echoes that soft -ra sound

Explore names like Swara

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Swara mean?

Swara is Sanskrit for 'musical note, tone' — the basis of Indian classical music.

How do you pronounce Swara?

It's said SWAH-rah /ˈswɑ.rɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Swara a boy or girl name?

Swara is a girl's name in modern use.

How popular is Swara?

Swara is a rare name in the U.S.