Antara
Antara is a Muslim unisex name meaning “Brave (Arabic hero's name); inner, intimate (Bengali)”.
| Meaning | Brave (Arabic hero's name); inner, intimate (Bengali) |
|---|---|
| Gender | Unisex |
| Origin | Arabic (ʿAntara, male); also Sanskrit/Bengali (Antara, female) |
| Arabic spelling | عنترة |
| Pronunciation | an-TAH-rah |
| Muslim name? | Used by Muslims |
Meaning and origin of Antara
Antara is really two names that happen to share a spelling. The Arabic ʿAntara, which begins with the throaty letter ʿayn, is a man's name whose literal sense is not clearly explained in the early dictionaries; its strong association with courage comes almost entirely from one man, the pre-Islamic warrior-poet ʿAntara ibn Shaddād. The Bengali and Indian Antara is a separate girl's name from the Sanskrit antara, 'inner' or 'intimate', usually explained as someone close to the heart. In Hindustani music the word also names a section of a song, which adds a gentle musical association.
ʿAntara ibn Shaddād of the tribe of ʿAbs was the son of an Arab father and an Ethiopian mother, rose from servitude through his bravery, and composed one of the celebrated Muʿallaqāt odes. His life grew into the popular epic Sīrat ʿAntar, and the shorter form Antar is common in Egypt and the Levant. In Bengali the girl's name is written অন্তরা and often sounds closer to 'On-to-ra'. It is used by both Muslim and Hindu families in Bangladesh and West Bengal, so the right meaning depends on which tradition a family is drawing from.
Famous people named Antara
- ʿAntara ibn Shaddād — pre-Islamic Arab warrior-poet and author of one of the Muʿallaqāt
Is Antara a Muslim name?
Partly. As the Arabic boy's name ʿAntara it is used by Arab Muslims in honour of the famous poet-hero, though he lived before Islam. As a girl's name it is Bengali/Sanskrit in origin and used by some Muslim families in Bangladesh, but it has no Islamic meaning.
Where is the name Antara used?
As ʿAntar/ʿAntara it appears among Arabs; as a girl's name Antara is common in Bangladesh and West Bengal.
Gifts with the name Antara
- Antara name necklaces & bracelets (Amazon)
- Personalised Antara baby gifts (Amazon)
- Islamic baby gifts & books (Amazon)
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Spellings and variants of Antara
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More unisex names like Antara
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Antara mean?
Antara means 'Brave (Arabic hero's name); inner, intimate (Bengali)'. It comes from Arabic (ʿAntara, male); also Sanskrit/Bengali (Antara, female).
Is Antara a Muslim name?
Partly. As the Arabic boy's name ʿAntara it is used by Arab Muslims in honour of the famous poet-hero, though he lived before Islam. As a girl's name it is Bengali/Sanskrit in origin and used by some Muslim families in Bangladesh, but it has no Islamic meaning.
How do you write Antara in Arabic?
Antara is written عنترة in Arabic script.
How do you pronounce Antara?
Antara is pronounced an-TAH-rah.
Is Antara a boy or girl name?
Both, in different traditions. The Arabic ʿAntara is a boy's name, while the Bengali Antara, from Sanskrit, is a girl's name.
Who was Antarah ibn Shaddad?
He was a pre-Islamic poet and warrior of the ʿAbs tribe, famous for his bravery and for one of the Muʿallaqat odes. His story became a long Arabic folk epic.