Unisex · #3,084 in 2026

Ara

Current Rank
#3,084
Peak Rank
#479 (2022)
Total Babies
4K
5-Yr Trend
-7%
👧 Girl peak #479 (4K total)
👦 Boy peak #1,035 (1K total)
👧As Girl Name
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#479
Peak Rank
4K
Total Count
147
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1893
First Year
2026
Last Year
1975
Peak Year
#1035
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
105
Years Active

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. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 78 Aras were born — ranking #2,363 that year. As of 2026, Ara ranks #3,084 for girls 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

Ara first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1893, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1975, when 34 Aras were born — ranking #1,530 that year. As of 2026, Ara ranks #6,053 for boys 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

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

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?
Ara is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1880. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Ara in 2026?
In 2026, Ara ranks #3,084 among girls' names in the U.S., with 52 babies given the name that year.
When was Ara most popular?
Ara reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #479 that year with 78 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Ara most popular?
Ara has historically been most popular in Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Ara.
Is Ara a unisex name?
Yes — Ara is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 73% of Aras assigned female and 27% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Ara?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ara include Queenie, Shelbi, Zaria. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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

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.