Lara
Anglicized from Russian Ла́ра (Lára), a Russian pet form of Larissa, known from the novel (1957) and film (1965) Dr Zhivago.
Every Lara since 1887 — 30,202 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lara
Lara is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #693 in 2025 with 409 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1887, 30,202 American babies have been named Lara. Its peak came in 1969, when 1,360 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Lara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lara 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 | 409 | #693 | — | — |
| 2024 | 380 | #741 | — | — |
| 2023 | 384 | #731 | — | — |
| 2022 | 424 | #695 | — | — |
| 2021 | 427 | #681 | — | — |
| 2020 | 396 | #710 | — | — |
| 2019 | 413 | #702 | — | — |
| 2018 | 359 | #761 | — | — |
| 2017 | 365 | #762 | — | — |
| 2016 | 378 | #756 | — | — |
| 2015 | 345 | #813 | — | — |
| 2014 | 337 | #821 | — | — |
| 2013 | 295 | #876 | — | — |
| 2012 | 313 | #855 | — | — |
| 2011 | 278 | #930 | — | — |
| 2010 | 301 | #881 | — | — |
| 2009 | 287 | #933 | — | — |
| 2008 | 292 | #933 | — | — |
| 2007 | 290 | #932 | — | — |
| 2006 | 322 | #834 | — | — |
| 2005 | 319 | #811 | — | — |
| 2004 | 359 | #735 | — | — |
| 2003 | 349 | #736 | — | — |
| 2002 | 402 | #635 | — | — |
| 2001 | 336 | #725 | — | — |
| 2000 | 262 | #848 | — | — |
| 1995 | 260 | #773 | — | — |
| 1990 | 442 | #539 | 6 | #7,707 |
| 1985 | 487 | #449 | — | — |
| 1980 | 579 | #393 | — | — |
| 1975 | 637 | #344 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,332 | #235 | 5 | #5,128 |
| 1965 | 65 | #1,376 | — | — |
| 1960 | 49 | #1,608 | — | — |
| 1955 | 18 | #2,679 | — | — |
| 1950 | 17 | #2,495 | — | — |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,532 | — | — |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,497 | — | — |
| 1935 | 15 | #2,155 | — | — |
| 1930 | 18 | #1,987 | — | — |
| 1925 | 26 | #1,670 | — | — |
| 1920 | 18 | #2,125 | — | — |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,192 | — | — |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,852 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,652 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Lara
- Lara Fabian Singer · b. 1970
- Lara Flynn Boyle Actor · b. 1970
- Lara Gut-Behrami Skier · b. 1991
- Lara Pulver Actor · b. 1980
- Lara van Ruijven Skater · 1992–2020
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked 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.
How popular is the name Lara in 2025?
Lara ranked #693 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 409 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lara?
30,202 babies have been named Lara in the United States since 1887, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lara most popular?
Lara peaked in 1969, when 1,360 newborns received the name.
Is Lara a boy or girl name?
Lara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lara rising or falling?
Lara is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lara?
Well-known people named Lara include Lara Fabian (singer), Lara Flynn Boyle (actor), Lara Gut-Behrami (skier).