Ishtar is the Akkadian counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate northwest Semitic goddess `Ashtart. Anunit, Astarte and Atarsamain are alternative names for Ishtar. Inanna, twin of Utu/Shamash, children of Nannar/Sin, first born on Earth of En.Lil. The first names given are Sumerian, the second name derives from the first Semitic people, the Akkadians. Adding an [sh] to a name is typical Akkadian, as Anu to Anush.
Inanna (DINANNA ), the original "Holy Virgin," as the Sumerians called her, is the first known divinity associated with the planet Venus. This Sumerian goddess became identified with the Semitic goddesses Ishtar and later Astarte, Egyptian Isis, Greek Aphrodite, Etruscan Turan and the Roman Venus.