What does Tala Mean?
This is one of our most frequently asked questions. If you’ve ever asked someone at Tala, you may have heard, “It means sweet, and beautiful.” And while that’s true, it’s only part of the story. Here’s the full meaning and inspiration behind our name: Tala Coffee Roasters.
When we set out to launch our company, we considered a long list of potential names. Each one had its own issues, and eventually, none of them stuck. If you’ve ever tried naming a business, you know the challenge—finding something that feels just right, something that reflects who you are and what you hope to become.
We had a few clear criteria:
A short name—ideally four to five letters
Nothing too on-the-nose, like “Bean Bros” or “The Daily Grind”
Easy to pronounce
Something unique, meaningful, but not too obvious
After plenty of trial and error, we discovered the name “Tala.” It checked all the boxes—and then some.
Tala is a proper name, like Sarah or Jane, but it appears across many languages and cultures around the world, which felt uniquely fitting. Its meanings range from “heavenly palm tree” (Arabic) to “gold” (Persian), “Wolf Princess” (Navajo), and “stories” (Samoan). Across these different origins, a few themes consistently emerge: beauty, strength, and sweetness.
That shared connotation mirrors our approach to coffee. We always aim to bring out the natural sweetness in every cup we roast, honoring the complexity and character of the coffee itself.
The multicultural presence of the name also resonates deeply with us. Just like Tala, coffee is not owned by one people, place, or culture. It connects people across borders, backgrounds, and experiences. One of our core values is connection, and the name Tala—shared across so many languages—reminds us of the unifying power of coffee.