Tala is a short name with several unrelated roots: in Tagalog it means "star" and is the name of the goddess of the morning and evening star in Philippine mythology, in Persian and Arabic tala means "gold", and it is also a Samoan name. This breadth makes it a quiet favorite in Filipino, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander families alike. Tala has risen from number 2014 in 2000 to number 1217 in 2025, its best rank on record.