The first name Lara
A girl’s name from Russian.
Pronounced /ˈlɑː.ɹə/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Russian origin
Anglicized from Russian Ла́ра (Lára), a Russian pet form of Larissa, known from the novel (1957) and film (1965) Dr Zhivago.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 465 girls were named Lara, making it the 98th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2003, with 568 births (#91).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Lara with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Lara at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 409 girls born in the United States were named Lara, the 693rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1969, when 1,354 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.
Lara in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Lara in French, German, Italian and Portuguese too.
Famous people named Lara
39 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Lara FabianBelgian and Canadian singer and songwriter, born 1970
- Lara Flynn BoyleAmerican actress (born 1970)
- Lara StoneDutch model, born 1983
- Lara PulverEnglish actress (born 1980)
- Lara TrumpAmerican television producer and campaign adviser (born 1982)
- Lara-Isabelle RentinckGerman actress, born 1986
- Lara van RuijvenDutch short track speed skater (1992-2020)
- Lara ParkerAmerican actress, 1938–2023
- Lara RajAmerican singer (born 2005)
- Lara RobinsonAustralian actress, born 1998
- Lara WendelGerman actress, born 1965
- Lara KippAustrian luger, born 2002
More Russian girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Lara mean?
- Anglicized from Russian Ла́ра (Lára), a Russian pet form of Larissa, known from the novel (1957) and film (1965) Dr Zhivago.
- What is the origin of the name Lara?
- Anglicized from Russian Ла́ра (Lára), a Russian pet form of Larissa, known from the novel (1957) and film (1965) Dr Zhivago.
- How popular is the name Lara?
- In 2025, 465 girls born in England and Wales were named Lara, ranking 98th. Its peak was 2003, with 568 births.
- Is Lara a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 30,202 US babies named Lara since 1880 were girls.
- When was Lara most popular?
- 1969 in the United States, when 1,354 babies were named Lara, its highest rank at 223rd.
- How do you pronounce Lara?
- Lara is /ˈlɑː.ɹə/, 2 syllables.
- Is Lara also a surname?
- Yes. Lara is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.