diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e32bf65..78f81bb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ takoSearch({
   baseUrl: 'https://tako.com', // optional; override for staging
   effort: 'fast',              // 'fast' (default) | 'instant' | 'deep'
   sources: {                   // a source is searched iff its key is present; omit to search both
-    tako: { count: 5, includeContents: false, deferDataRetrieval: false },
+    data: { count: 5, includeContents: false, deferDataRetrieval: false }, // legacy alias: tako
     web: { count: 5, includeContents: false },
   },
   countryCode: 'US',           // default 'US'
diff --git a/src/request.ts b/src/request.ts
index b7f712c..c454a74 100644
--- a/src/request.ts
+++ b/src/request.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export interface SearchRequestBody {
   country_code: string;
   locale: string;
   sources?: {
-    tako?: { count?: number; include_contents?: boolean; defer_data_retrieval?: boolean };
+    data?: { count?: number; include_contents?: boolean; defer_data_retrieval?: boolean };
     web?: { count?: number; include_contents?: boolean };
   };
   timezone?: string;
@@ -34,12 +34,14 @@ export function buildSearchRequestBody(config: TakoRetrievalConfig, query: strin
 
   if (config.sources) {
     const sources: NonNullable<SearchRequestBody["sources"]> = {};
-    if (config.sources.tako) {
-      const tako: NonNullable<NonNullable<SearchRequestBody["sources"]>["tako"]> = {};
-      if (config.sources.tako.count !== undefined) tako.count = config.sources.tako.count;
-      if (config.sources.tako.includeContents !== undefined) tako.include_contents = config.sources.tako.includeContents;
-      if (config.sources.tako.deferDataRetrieval !== undefined) tako.defer_data_retrieval = config.sources.tako.deferDataRetrieval;
-      sources.tako = tako;
+    // `data` is the curated Tako source; `tako` is the deprecated legacy alias.
+    const dataSource = config.sources.data ?? config.sources.tako;
+    if (dataSource) {
+      const data: NonNullable<NonNullable<SearchRequestBody["sources"]>["data"]> = {};
+      if (dataSource.count !== undefined) data.count = dataSource.count;
+      if (dataSource.includeContents !== undefined) data.include_contents = dataSource.includeContents;
+      if (dataSource.deferDataRetrieval !== undefined) data.defer_data_retrieval = dataSource.deferDataRetrieval;
+      sources.data = data;
     }
     if (config.sources.web) {
       const web: NonNullable<NonNullable<SearchRequestBody["sources"]>["web"]> = {};
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 2e08f4d..2f54f81 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -31,8 +31,14 @@ export interface TakoCardSourceOptions extends TakoSourceOptions {
 export interface TakoRetrievalConfig extends TakoBaseConfig {
   /** "fast" (default) | "instant" | "deep". */
   effort?: TakoSearchEffort;
-  /** Per-source settings. A source is searched iff its key is present. Omit to search tako + web. */
-  sources?: { tako?: TakoCardSourceOptions; web?: TakoSourceOptions };
+  /** Per-source settings. A source is searched iff its key is present. Omit to search data + web. */
+  sources?: {
+    /** The curated Tako data source. */
+    data?: TakoCardSourceOptions;
+    web?: TakoSourceOptions;
+    /** @deprecated Use `data`. Legacy alias for the curated Tako source. */
+    tako?: TakoCardSourceOptions;
+  };
   /** ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Default "US". */
   countryCode?: string;
   /** BCP-47 locale tag. Default "en-US". */
diff --git a/tests/search.test.ts b/tests/search.test.ts
index 17db523..7fc3329 100644
--- a/tests/search.test.ts
+++ b/tests/search.test.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ describe("takoSearch", () => {
     const t = takoSearch({
       apiKey: "key",
       effort: "deep",
-      sources: { tako: { count: 10, deferDataRetrieval: true } },
+      sources: { data: { count: 10, deferDataRetrieval: true } },
       timezone: "America/New_York",
       outputSettings: { imageDarkMode: true },
     });
@@ -39,12 +39,24 @@ describe("takoSearch", () => {
       effort: "deep",
       country_code: "US",
       locale: "en-US",
-      sources: { tako: { count: 10, defer_data_retrieval: true } },
+      sources: { data: { count: 10, defer_data_retrieval: true } },
       timezone: "America/New_York",
       output_settings: { image_dark_mode: true },
     });
   });
 
+  it("maps the deprecated `tako` source alias onto the `data` wire key", async () => {
+    const fetchMock = stubFetch(200, OK);
+    const t = takoSearch({
+      apiKey: "key",
+      sources: { tako: { count: 10, deferDataRetrieval: true } },
+    });
+    await runTool(t, { query: "x" });
+    const init = fetchMock.mock.calls[0][1] as RequestInit;
+    const body = JSON.parse(init.body as string);
+    expect(body.sources).toEqual({ data: { count: 10, defer_data_retrieval: true } });
+  });
+
   it("honors baseUrl override (trailing slash stripped)", async () => {
     const fetchMock = stubFetch(200, OK);
     const t = takoSearch({ apiKey: "key", baseUrl: "https://staging.trytako.com/" });
diff --git a/tests/types.test.ts b/tests/types.test.ts
index c653c7f..eeb0f80 100644
--- a/tests/types.test.ts
+++ b/tests/types.test.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ describe("types", () => {
       apiKey: "k",
       baseUrl: "https://staging.trytako.com",
       effort: "deep",
-      sources: { tako: { count: 10, deferDataRetrieval: true }, web: { count: 3, includeContents: true } },
+      sources: { data: { count: 10, deferDataRetrieval: true }, web: { count: 3, includeContents: true } },
       countryCode: "US",
       locale: "en-US",
       timezone: "America/New_York",