Dara
Every Dara since 1893 — 14,547 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Dara
Dara is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,129 in 2025 with 207 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1893, 14,547 American babies have been named Dara — about 94% girls and 6% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1981, when 466 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Dara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 207 | #1,129 | 48 | #2,686 |
| 2024 | 244 | #1,034 | 32 | #3,536 |
| 2023 | 107 | #1,868 | 29 | #3,815 |
| 2022 | 148 | #1,480 | 38 | #3,170 |
| 2021 | 132 | #1,587 | 34 | #3,376 |
| 2020 | 166 | #1,329 | 29 | #3,666 |
| 2019 | 227 | #1,094 | 16 | #5,624 |
| 2018 | 206 | #1,171 | 20 | #4,783 |
| 2017 | 110 | #1,854 | 12 | #6,772 |
| 2016 | 71 | #2,523 | 11 | #7,254 |
| 2015 | 65 | #2,721 | 9 | #8,188 |
| 2014 | 74 | #2,448 | 6 | #11,034 |
| 2013 | 67 | #2,637 | 7 | #9,884 |
| 2012 | 74 | #2,480 | 6 | #11,103 |
| 2011 | 52 | #3,182 | 7 | #9,857 |
| 2010 | 77 | #2,434 | 9 | #8,295 |
| 2009 | 92 | #2,169 | 6 | #11,301 |
| 2008 | 83 | #2,340 | 6 | #11,367 |
| 2007 | 81 | #2,353 | 9 | #8,324 |
| 2006 | 81 | #2,331 | 11 | #7,014 |
| 2005 | 97 | #1,971 | 9 | #7,770 |
| 2004 | 109 | #1,759 | 8 | #8,292 |
| 2003 | 115 | #1,669 | 20 | #4,142 |
| 2002 | 112 | #1,646 | 7 | #8,652 |
| 2001 | 155 | #1,268 | 15 | #4,938 |
| 2000 | 153 | #1,271 | 21 | #3,801 |
| 1995 | 163 | #1,092 | 17 | #3,732 |
| 1990 | 219 | #884 | 19 | #3,195 |
| 1985 | 222 | #767 | 39 | #1,623 |
| 1980 | 431 | #486 | 9 | #4,216 |
| 1975 | 221 | #678 | — | — |
| 1970 | 279 | #617 | 8 | #3,581 |
| 1965 | 149 | #817 | — | — |
| 1960 | 132 | #928 | — | — |
| 1955 | 61 | #1,294 | 6 | #3,580 |
| 1950 | 57 | #1,225 | — | — |
| 1945 | 18 | #2,003 | — | — |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,575 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,409 | — | — |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,752 | — | — |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,687 | — | — |
| 1915 | 6 | #3,878 | — | — |
| 1910 | 5 | #2,498 | — | — |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,755 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Dara
- Dara Shukoh Politician · 1615–1659
- Dara Singh Film director · 1928–2012
- Dara Torres Swimmer · b. 1967
- Dara Ó Briain Actor · b. 1972
- Dara Howell Athlete · b. 1994
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Dara in 2025?
Dara ranked #1,129 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 207 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Dara?
14,547 babies have been named Dara in the United States since 1893, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Dara most popular?
Dara peaked in 1981, when 466 newborns received the name.
Is Dara a boy or girl name?
Dara is used for both: about 94% of babies named Dara have been girls and 6% boys.
Is the name Dara rising or falling?
Dara is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Dara?
Well-known people named Dara include Dara Shukoh (politician), Dara Singh (film director), Dara Torres (swimmer).