Sharada

Gender: Feminine
Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: “autumnal.”
शारद
(SHUH-ruh-duh)

The name is from the Sanskrit, śārada (शारद), meaning “autumnal.”

In Hinduism, the name is used as an epithet for the goddess, Sarasvati, as autumn is her preferred season.

Other notable bearers include: South Indian actress, Sharada (b.1945); Indian playback singer, Sharda; religious Bengali figure, Sarada Devi (1853-1920) known affectionately as the Holy Mother among her adherents.

It is also the name of a temple in Kashmir, dedicated to Sarasvati (Sharda), and was once a place of great learning. This is where the Sharada script was developed and got its name.

Other transcriptions of the name include: Sharda and Sarada.

Sources

1. http://sanskritdocuments.org/dict/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharada_script