Ara Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AH-rah //ˈɑːrə//
Origin: Hebrew; Arabic; Armenian
Meaning: Hebrew: 'lioness'; Arabic: 'bringer of light'; Armenian: 'the one who is noble'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Ara has roots in multiple linguistic traditions, with its earliest forms traceable to the Hebrew word 'אֲרָה' (Arah), which means 'to be noble' or 'to be exalted.' This Hebrew term influenced its adoption into various cultures, including the Greek and Latin languages, where it maintained similar meanings associated with nobility and elevation. The name eventually made its way into English, likely through the influence of biblical texts and translations, where it was sometimes rendered in forms that reflected its original meanings.
Historically, the name Ara appears in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the genealogies found in the Book of Chronicles, where it is associated with notable figures. The presence of the name in biblical texts has contributed to its enduring significance in Jewish and Christian traditions.
During the Middle Ages, the name was occasionally adopted by saints and other religious figures, further embedding it within the cultural and spiritual fabric of these communities. Culturally, Ara has been associated with themes of nobility and virtue, which have resonated through various artistic and literary works over the centuries.
The name has also been linked to the concept of divine favor, making it a choice for those seeking a name with positive connotations. In some cultures, diminutive forms or variations of Ara have emerged, reflecting affection or familiarity, although these are less documented in historical texts.
Overall, the name Ara carries a rich tapestry of meanings and associations that have allowed it to persist through time.
Famous people named Ara
In this section, you will find notable people named Ara. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ara who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Ara who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Ara Parseghian is a former American football coach best known for coaching the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and winning two national championships.
Ara Abrahamian is a Swedish wrestler best known for winning multiple European and World Championships in Greco-Roman wrestling.
Fictional characters named Ara
The following list of fictional characters named Ara is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Ara is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. They are a character encountered in the game, contributing to the storyline and world-building.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ara, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ara. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Ara was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Ara has ranked as high as #1315 nationally, which occurred in 2022, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Alabama, New York, and Arkansas.
In the past 5 years the name Ara has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Ara is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ara was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Ara (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ara.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 51 |
| 2023 | 52 |
| 2022 | 78 |
| 2021 | 75 |
| 2020 | 55 |
| 2019 | 54 |
| 2018 | 62 |
| 2017 | 62 |
| 2016 | 53 |
| 2015 | 49 |
| 2014 | 49 |
| 2013 | 42 |
| 2012 | 55 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2010 | 34 |
| 2009 | 30 |
| 2008 | 26 |
| 2007 | 22 |
| 2006 | 29 |
| 2005 | 27 |
| 2004 | 19 |
| 2003 | 20 |
| 2002 | 19 |
| 2001 | 13 |
| 2000 | 29 |
| 1999 | 17 |
| 1998 | 13 |
| 1997 | 13 |
| 1996 | 16 |
| 1995 | 14 |
| 1994 | 16 |
| 1993 | 12 |
| 1992 | 11 |
| 1991 | 15 |
| 1990 | 14 |
| 1989 | 24 |
| 1988 | 25 |
| 1987 | 21 |
| 1986 | 23 |
| 1985 | 22 |
| 1984 | 17 |
| 1983 | 19 |
| 1982 | 27 |
| 1981 | 27 |
| 1980 | 23 |
| 1979 | 23 |
| 1978 | 24 |
| 1977 | 19 |
| 1976 | 19 |
| 1975 | 24 |
| 1974 | 18 |
| 1973 | 19 |
| 1972 | 19 |
| 1971 | 19 |
| 1970 | 6 |
| 1969 | 12 |
| 1968 | 7 |
| 1967 | 12 |
| 1966 | 10 |
| 1965 | 15 |
| 1964 | 15 |
| 1963 | 17 |
| 1962 | 12 |
| 1961 | 10 |
| 1960 | 9 |
| 1959 | 9 |
| 1958 | 10 |
| 1957 | 10 |
| 1956 | 8 |
| 1955 | 9 |
| 1954 | 15 |
| 1953 | 11 |
| 1952 | 10 |
| 1951 | 10 |
| 1950 | 13 |
| 1949 | 19 |
| 1948 | 16 |
| 1947 | 11 |
| 1946 | 20 |
| 1945 | 21 |
| 1944 | 16 |
| 1943 | 16 |
| 1942 | 11 |
| 1941 | 12 |
| 1940 | 20 |
| 1939 | 18 |
| 1938 | 19 |
| 1937 | 22 |
| 1936 | 23 |
| 1935 | 21 |
| 1934 | 34 |
| 1933 | 18 |
| 1932 | 27 |
| 1931 | 26 |
| 1930 | 16 |
| 1929 | 28 |
| 1928 | 27 |
| 1927 | 33 |
| 1926 | 43 |
| 1925 | 35 |
| 1924 | 50 |
| 1923 | 38 |
| 1922 | 38 |
| 1921 | 46 |
| 1920 | 51 |
| 1919 | 39 |
| 1918 | 52 |
| 1917 | 40 |
| 1916 | 47 |
| 1915 | 47 |
| 1914 | 40 |
| 1913 | 34 |
| 1912 | 30 |
| 1911 | 23 |
| 1910 | 23 |
| 1909 | 12 |
| 1908 | 25 |
| 1907 | 27 |
| 1906 | 18 |
| 1905 | 17 |
| 1904 | 18 |
| 1903 | 23 |
| 1902 | 20 |
| 1901 | 30 |
| 1900 | 25 |
| 1899 | 12 |
| 1898 | 25 |
| 1897 | 20 |
| 1896 | 21 |
| 1895 | 22 |
| 1894 | 15 |
| 1893 | 19 |
| 1892 | 21 |
| 1891 | 18 |
| 1890 | 22 |
| 1889 | 22 |
| 1888 | 20 |
| 1887 | 16 |
| 1886 | 17 |
| 1885 | 17 |
| 1884 | 18 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1882 | 10 |
| 1881 | 8 |
| 1880 | 6 |