Lara
Girl name · #692 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Lara is currently the #692 girl name in the United States — 409 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #812, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,401 girls born in 2025 was named Lara.
The 138-year story
Lara first appears in the Social Security records in 1887, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1969, when 1,354 girls were named Lara — good for #222 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 Lara per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lara against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lara in class?
Lara scores 57 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 Lara is most common
Geography matters for names, and Lara is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Laras were FL (54), CA (53), NY (44), TX (33), IL (28). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Lara
Statistically, parents drawn to Lara tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tara, Dara, Tamara, Lea, and Laura.
TaraDaraTamaraLeaLauraMyraCaraLiza
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lara | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 409 | #691 |
| 2024 | 380 | #741 |
| 2023 | 384 | #731 |
| 2022 | 424 | #693 |
| 2021 | 427 | #681 |
| 2020 | 396 | #707 |
| 2019 | 413 | #701 |
| 2018 | 359 | #759 |
| 2017 | 365 | #761 |
| 2016 | 378 | #755 |
| 2015 | 345 | #812 |
| 2014 | 337 | #821 |
| 2013 | 295 | #874 |
| 2012 | 313 | #852 |
| 2011 | 278 | #929 |
| 2010 | 301 | #880 |
| 2009 | 287 | #930 |
| 2008 | 292 | #932 |
| 2007 | 290 | #932 |
| 2006 | 322 | #834 |
| 2005 | 319 | #811 |
| 2004 | 359 | #735 |
| 2003 | 349 | #732 |
| 2002 | 402 | #635 |
| 2001 | 336 | #724 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lara a popular girl name?
Lara ranked #692 among girls in 2025 with 409 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #812.
When was the name Lara most popular?
Lara peaked in 1969, when 1,354 American girls received the name (ranked #222 that year). Since 1969 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lara?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,401 newborn American girls was named Lara. It scores 57/100 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.