Girl · #15,243 in 2026

Tarai

The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in parts of southern Nepal and northern India that lies to the south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This region is characterised by tall grasslands, scrub savannah, sal forests and clay rich swamps.

Current Rank
#15,243
Peak Rank
#15,243 (2024)
Total Babies
5
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2024
First Year
2024
Last Year
2024
Peak Year
#15243
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Tarai

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in parts of southern Nepal and northern India that lies to the south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This region is characterised by tall grasslands, scrub savannah, sal forests and clay rich swamps.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The Urdu word ترائی tarāʼī means "lands lying at the foot of a watershed" or "on the banks of a river; low ground flooded with water, valley, basin, marshy ground, marsh, swamp; meadow". In Hindi , the region is called तराई 'tarāī' meaning "foot-hill". In Nepali , the region is called तराइ 'tarāi' meaning "the low-lying land, plain" and especially "the low-lying land at the foot of the Himālayas". It has been described as "low, marshy ground".
Origin & history
Jungle in Uttarakhand The Muslim invasion of northern India during the 14th century forced Hindu and Buddhist people to seek refuge from religious persecution. Rajput nobles and their entourage migrated to the Himalayan foothills and gained control over the region from Kashmir to the eastern Terai during the following three centuries. By the 16th century, the rulers of Palpa and Makwanpur controlled the mid-western Terai and extended this control to the eastern Terai by the 17th century. They controlled the area of today's districts of Saptari , Siraha, Dhanusa , Mahottari and Sarlahi. The rul

The Story of Tarai

Tarai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2024, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 5 Tarais were born — ranking #15,243 that year. As of 2026, Tarai ranks #15,243 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Tarais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2020s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Tarai

Phonetically similar names — useful when Tarai is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tarai

What does the name Tarai mean?
The Terai or Tarai is a lowland region in parts of southern Nepal and northern India that lies to the south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This region is characterised by tall grasslands, scrub savannah, sal forests and clay rich swamps.
How popular is Tarai in 2026?
In 2026, Tarai ranks #15,243 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Tarai most popular?
Tarai reached its peak popularity in 2024, ranking #15,243 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Tarai a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Tarai is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Tarai?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Tarai include Aaina, Abelyn, Abundance. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Aaina
Peak #15243
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Abelyn
Peak #15243
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Abundance
Peak #15243
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Adanary
Peak #15243
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Adareli
Peak #15243
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Adarely
Peak #15243
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Adayana
Peak #15243
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Adelaila
Peak #15243

About the name Tarai

Tarai is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2024 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Tarai's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #15,243. Use the chart and map above to compare Tarai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.