Given name & surname · also Sanskrit
Chandra
“shining”·“of the moon; another name for the goddess Devi”
Chandra is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “shining” (Sanskrit) and “of the moon; another name for the goddess Devi” (Hindi). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “shining” (Sanskrit) and “of the moon; another name for the goddess Devi” (Hindi). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Sanskrit.
How it developed
The name draws on Sanskrit candra, meaning “moon”.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1935. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Chandra through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 17,349
- 66 boys · 17,283 girls
- Most popular year
- 1975
- 753 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −73%
- Cooling
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 8 in 2023. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 747 in 1975. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 19,391 as a first name in 2020; 4,513 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Chandra’s family of names
In English usage, Chandra has a related form in Shandra. Chandra has a related form in Candra. Chandra has a related form in Chander.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Chandervariant · English
- Chandreavariant
- Chaundravariant
- Chandriavariant
- Chandaravariant
- Shandravariant · English
- Candravariant
- Chhandralikely variant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Chandra
- Chandra ShekharPrime Minister of India (1990-1991)1927–2007
- Chandragupta I4th-century king of the Gupta Empire250–335
- Chandragupta IIRuler of Gupta Empire from c. 375 to c. 415400–500
- Chandra WilsonAmerican actress and directorborn 1969
- Chandra Bahadur DangiNepali man who was the shortest man in recorded history (1939–2015)
- Chandra Shekhar AzadIndian activist and socialist and revolutionary, freedom fighter and social reformer (1906–1931)
- Chandra SturrupBahamian athletics competitor (born 1971)
- Chandra CrawfordCanadian cross-country skierborn 1983
- Chandra CheeseboroughAmerican sprinter (born 1959)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Chandra, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ardra
“one who is noble” · “the goddess of bad luck and misfortune”
>99% girls
Chitra
“in Hinduism, the goddess of misfortune”
>99% girls
Olivera
“olive tree”
>99% girls
Anuradha
“causing welfare or happiness” · “in Hinduism, goddess of good fortune”
>99% girls
Anumati
Anumati is used as a given name. One Hindi interpretation is “in Hinduism, moon goddess of prosperity, intellect, children, and spirituality.”
>99% girls
Indu
“woman of the moon”
>99% girls
Sita
Sita is used as a given name and a surname. One Hindi interpretation is “in Hinduism, goddess of the harvest and wife of Rama.”
>99% girls
Tamara
“date palm” · “from the palm tree”
>99% girls