Given name & surname · also Hebrew
Dara
“a wise woman”·“from the oak tree”
Dara is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a wise woman” and “from the oak tree”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a wise woman” and “from the oak tree”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In Irish Gaelic use, Dara is used as a shortened form of Mac.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1893. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Dara through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 14,547
- 855 boys · 13,692 girls
- Most popular year
- 1981
- 466 babies
- 2025
- 255
- #1,129 for girls · #2,686 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +17%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 14% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 207 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,129 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 453 in 1981. It also appeared in 48 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (29). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 13,148 as a first name in 2020; 740 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.
Dara’s family of names
Dara is a short form of Mac. In English usage, Dara developed from the Irish form Dáire. Dara has a related form in Darian.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Dara has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
7 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Dara
- Dara ShikohIndian prince1615–1659
- Dara TorresAmerican swimmerborn 1967
- Dara SinghIndian professional wrestler and actor (1928-2012)
- Dara Ó BriainIrish comedian and television presenterborn 1972
- Dara HowellCanadian freestyle skierborn 1994
- Dara O'SheaIrish association football player (born 1999)
- Dara KhosrowshahiIranian businessmanborn 1969
- Dara BirnbaumAmerican video and installation artist (1946-2025)
- Dara HornAmerican novelistborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Dara, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tamara
“date palm” · “from the palm tree”
>99% girls
Tamar
“from the palm tree”
6% boys · 94% girls
Ilana
“tree”
>99% girls
Hedasaa
“resembling a star”
>99% girls
Blimah
“one resembling a blossom”
>99% girls
Elana
“from the oak tree”
>99% girls
Amhuinn
“from the alder-tree river”
>99% girls
Orna
“one who is paleskinned” · “of the cedar tree”
>99% girls