Given name & surname · also Armenian, Arabic
Ara
“an opinionated woman”
Ara is used as a given name and a surname. One Arabic interpretation is “an opinionated woman.”
Original ArmenianԱրա
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Arabic interpretation is “an opinionated woman.”
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Arabic, Armenian, and Latin naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ara through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,866
- 1,301 boys · 3,565 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 93 babies
- 2025
- 58
- #3,255 for girls · #7,714 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +4%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 20% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 48 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,255 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 6.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 10 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (11). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,113 as a first name in 2020; 1,131 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ara’s family of names
In Latin usage, Ara has a later derivative in Araceli. Ara has a related form in Aira. Ara has a related form in Arah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ara has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
5 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Ara
- Ara GülerTurkish photographer (1928–2018)
- Ara AbrahamianSwedish Greco-Roman wrestlerborn 1975
- Ara MalikianArmenian musicianborn 1968
- Ara HarutyunyanSoviet sculptor and artist (1928-1999)
- Ara AyvazyanArmenian diplomat (born 1969)
- Ara PapianArmenian diplomatborn 1961
- Ara ParseghianAmerican football player and coach (1923-2017)
- Ara SargsyanSoviet Armenian sculptor (1902–1969)
- Ara HakobyanArmenian association football playerborn 1980
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ara, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Adhara
>99% girls
Zara
“princess”
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Amira
“a princess; one who commands”
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Claira
Claira is a feminine given name from Latin.
>99% girls
Alora
Alora is a feminine given name from Bantu.
>99% girls
Raia
“smilax” · “ray”
>99% girls
Yrsa
“she-bear”
>99% girls
Marren
Marren is a surname from Medieval Latin.
>99% girls