Tarka

Literary name
"wandering as water"

Tarka Origin and Meaning

The name Tarka is a boy's name meaning "wandering as water".

The name of the (male) otter protagonist of Henry Williamson’s 1927 novel Tarka the Otter.

It is in rare use as a male and female name in England, especially among the Telegraph-reading classes. A notable bearer is English musician, writer and record producer Tarka Cordell, who died in 2008.

Fun fact: a tarka is also a type of short wooden flute, indigenous to the Andes.

Tarka Popularity