Inara
Inara Origin and Meaning
Inara is an appealing choice with multiple origins, currently in the Top 500 in the UK and the Netherlands. Gentle looking but bright in feel, it is also on the rise in the US, possibly owing to its use in Joss Whedon's hit sci-fi series Firefly, featuring main character, Inara Serra.
On one hand, Inara is an Arabic name, deriving from the same roots as the more familiar Noor. Meaning "illumination" or "shining light", it is associated with enlightenment and bringing light to darkness. Similarly, in Basque it means "sunray" or "spark", but emerged as a feminine form of Inar.
Alternatively, it can be considered a mythological name, taken from Hittite mythology, in which Inara was the goddess of wild animals - equivalent to the Greek Artemis. In Latvia, it is sometimes used as an elaboration of Ina, while there is a possibility that some may be using it as a spelling variation on the rising star Ainara, meaning "swallow (bird)".
An all round intriguing name, Inara was given to around 180 girls in the US in 2023 and would make a choice that translates well into various languages and cultures.
- Inara Rank in Nameberry Top 1000
- Names Similar to Inara
- Famous People Named Inara
- Inara in Pop Culture
- Inara in Nameberry Forums
Inara Rank in Nameberry Top 1000
Inara Popularity
- 873Nameberry2024
- 293Unique2023
- 532England2023
- 154Switzerland2023
20 Names Similar to Inara
Famous People Named Inara
- Inara Maryland GeorgeAmerican musician
- Inara IbrahimovaAzerbaijani volleyball player
- Ināra MūrnieceLatvian journalist and politician
- Inara SattarovaUzbekistani rhythmic gymnast
- Ināra TeterevaLatvian philanthropist
- Princess Inaara Aga KhanGerman,born philanthropist
Inara in Pop Culture
- Inara Serracharacter from "Firefly" and "Serenity."
- In HittiteHurrian mythology, Inara was the goddess of the wild animals of the steppe, equal to the Greek goddess Artemis.