Ara
Ara is a name with multiple cultural origins: Armenian, Armenian Mythology.
- Armenian
- Armenian Mythology
Meaning & Origin of Ara
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ara is a name with multiple cultural origins: Armenian, Armenian Mythology.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Armenian
- Armenian Mythology
The Story of Ara
As a girl name
Ara first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2022: 78 births, good for #2,363 nationwide. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,084 among girl names with 52 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 4K Aras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Ara on the record books as a boy name in 1893, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1975, when 34 Aras were born — ranking #1,530 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,053 among boy names with 14 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 1K Aras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Ara
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Ara. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Arayik
Names that sound like Ara
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ara is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ara
What does the name Ara mean?
What is the origin of the name Ara?
How popular is Ara in 2026?
When was Ara most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ara most popular?
Is Ara a unisex name?
What names go well with Ara?
What are nicknames or variants of Ara?
About the name Ara
Ara is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Ara's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #479. Use the chart and map above to compare Ara's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.