Chandra
A South Asian surname and given name built on the Sanskrit word for the moon.
The #8,977 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 84,704 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Chandra comes from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra), meaning “moon” or “shining, bright.” As a name element, it appears widely in South Asian languages and can function as a personal name, surname, or part of compound names. In surname use, it is usually taken directly from this inherited given-name element rather than from a European-style occupational or locational source.
History
Chandra has long been common across South Asia as both a male and female given name and as a component in compound names. Its use as a surname is especially common among families from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and it spread more widely through diaspora communities in the 20th and 21st centuries. Because naming traditions vary by region and community, the surname does not always imply a single shared lineage.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same Sanskrit root also appears in many classical names and epithets connected with the moon, brightness, and beauty.