Lara
Lara is a girl's name of Greek origin.
Meaning
Protection, citadel, or cheerful.
Origin and history
Lara is a given name with roots in Greek mythology as well as Russian and Latin traditions. In Russian, it often functions as a short form of Larisa, meaning cheerful or citadel. The name has maintained a steady presence in the United States, boosted in part by cultural references such as Lara Croft.
Popularity in the United States
30,168 babies in the United States have been named Lara since 1880. It ranks #827 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #692.
States where it is most popular
- CA (14.4 %)
- NY (9.4 %)
- TX (8.2 %)
- FL (6.4 %)
- IL (5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 5 |
| 1890-1900 | 30 |
| 1900-1910 | 41 |
| 1910-1920 | 115 |
| 1920-1930 | 189 |
| 1930-1940 | 138 |
| 1940-1950 | 121 |
| 1950-1960 | 241 |
| 1960-1970 | 4,195 |
| 1970-1980 | 7,612 |
| 1980-1990 | 5,412 |
| 1990-2000 | 3,047 |
| 2000-2010 | 3,218 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,384 |
| 2020-2029 | 2,420 |
Famous people named Lara
- Lara Flynn Boyle: Actress
- Lara Spencer: Journalist, Television presenter
- Lara Croft: Video game character
Fun facts
- The name gained widespread global fame through the character Lara Antipova in Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago and later via video game heroine Lara Croft.
- In Roman mythology, Lara was a nymph known for her loquacity.