Dara
Dara are several given names used for both men and women in different languages.
Meaning & Origin of Dara
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dara are several given names used for both men and women in different languages.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Dara
As a girl name
Dara first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1893, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 453 Daras were born — ranking #470 that year. As of 2026, Dara ranks #1,137 for girls with 212 births, gradually rising (+9%). In total, more than 14K Daras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Dara first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1955, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 39 Daras were born — ranking #1,613 that year. As of 2026, Dara ranks #3,484 for boys with 33 births, rising sharply (+49% over the past five years). In total, more than 873 Daras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Dara
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Dara , (born Sandara Park, 1984), South Korean singer, actress and TV presenter, member of K-pop girl group 2NE1
- Dara Alizadeh (born 1993), Bermudian and American rower who represents Bermuda
- Dara Bashir (born 1960), Pakistani former first-class cricketer
- Dara Birnbaum (1946–2025), American video and installation artist
- Dara Brown (born 1964/1965), news anchor and senior producer for MSNBC.com
- Dara Bubamara , Serbian singer
- Dara Calleary , Irish politician
- Dara Dotiwalla (1933–2019), Indian cricket umpire
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Dara
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dara 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 Dara
What does the name Dara mean?
How popular is Dara in 2026?
When was Dara most popular?
In which U.S. states is Dara most popular?
Is Dara a unisex name?
What names go well with Dara?
About the name Dara
Dara is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1893 and has accumulated 14K births in the dataset. Dara's peak popularity came in 1981 when it ranked #470. Use the chart and map above to compare Dara's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1981 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- 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.