Dara
Girl name · #1131 in 2025 · Uniqueness 56/100
In 2025, 207 baby girls were named Dara, placing it at #1131 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2712, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,696 girls born in 2025 was named Dara.
The 132-year story
Dara first appears in the Social Security records in 1893, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1981, when 453 girls were named Dara — good for #469 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Dara per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Dara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Dara in class?
Dara scores 56 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Dara is most common
Geography matters for names, and Dara is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Daras were CA (29), TX (24), NY (20), FL (17), NJ (12). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Dara
Statistically, parents drawn to Dara tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cara, Kara, Tara, Lara, and Dana.
CaraKaraTaraLaraDanaTamaraTerraLorena
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Dara | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 207 | #1129 |
| 2024 | 244 | #1034 |
| 2023 | 107 | #1865 |
| 2022 | 148 | #1478 |
| 2021 | 132 | #1584 |
| 2020 | 166 | #1327 |
| 2019 | 227 | #1094 |
| 2018 | 206 | #1170 |
| 2017 | 110 | #1854 |
| 2016 | 71 | #2517 |
| 2015 | 65 | #2712 |
| 2014 | 74 | #2442 |
| 2013 | 67 | #2626 |
| 2012 | 74 | #2474 |
| 2011 | 52 | #3173 |
| 2010 | 77 | #2427 |
| 2009 | 92 | #2165 |
| 2008 | 83 | #2334 |
| 2007 | 81 | #2348 |
| 2006 | 81 | #2328 |
| 2005 | 97 | #1969 |
| 2004 | 109 | #1756 |
| 2003 | 115 | #1668 |
| 2002 | 112 | #1642 |
| 2001 | 155 | #1266 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dara a popular girl name?
Dara ranked #1131 among girls in 2025 with 207 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2712.
When was the name Dara most popular?
Dara peaked in 1981, when 453 American girls received the name (ranked #469 that year). Since 1981 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Dara?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,696 newborn American girls was named Dara. It scores 56/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.