Uttara is one of the thousand names of God Viṣṇu (Vishnu). Śankarācārya (Sankaracharya), while analysing the meaning of the name, says —
janmasaṃsāravandhanāduttaratīti uttaraḥ.
He is above and beyond all worldly notions of birth and death, he cannot be confined to material adjuncts and limitations of the world. Another meaning of Uttara is ‘better’ or greater’. In Ṛgveda (Rigveda), Indra is mentioned as greater than the world, and all other gods — viśvasmādindra uttaraḥ. God Viṣṇu is the manifestation of the Supreme Self, and the cause of this creation. So he is greater than all worldly things, all gods and goddesses, and above everything —
sarvotkṛṣta iti vā, ‘viśvasmādindra uttaraḥ itiśruteḥ.