The first name Dara
A girl’s name from Irish.
Pronounced /ˈdɑːɹə/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
An Irish saint's name, from Irish Dáire.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 30 boys were named Dara, making it the 1,007th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 42 births (#779).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Dara with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Dara at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 207 girls born in the United States were named Dara, the 1,129th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1981, when 453 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Daragh
- Darragh
Famous people named Dara
4 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Dara TorresAmerican swimmer, born 1967
- Dara HowellCanadian freestyle skier, born 1994
- Dara BirnbaumAmerican video and installation artist (1946-2025)
- Dara HornAmerican novelist, born 1977
More Irish girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Dara mean?
- An Irish saint's name, from Irish Dáire.
- What is the origin of the name Dara?
- An Irish saint's name, from Irish Dáire.
- How popular is the name Dara?
- In 2025, 30 boys born in England and Wales were named Dara, ranking 1,007th. Its peak was 2023, with 42 births.
- Is Dara a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 14,547 US babies named Dara since 1880, 94% were girls and 6% boys.
- When was Dara most popular?
- 1981 in the United States, when 453 babies were named Dara, its highest rank at 469th.
- How do you pronounce Dara?
- Dara is /ˈdɑːɹə/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Dara?
- Daragh and Darragh.