Lara
LAH-ruh
Lara is a name with several possible origins.
As a Russian short form of Larissa, it connects to the ancient Greek city of Larisa and possibly to the Greek laros meaning “pleasant.” In Latin tradition, Lara was the name of a nymph associated with speech and was sometimes connected to lares, the
household gods.
What the name Lara means
The name entered global consciousness through Boris Pasternak’s novel Doctor Zhivago (1957), in which Lara Antipova is one of literature’s great romantic heroines. The 1965 David Lean film with Julie Christie fixed the name in popular imagination.
Lara peaked at No. 223 in 1969 with 1,354 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 740 with 379 births, maintaining quiet but consistent use.
The fictional character Lara Croft, the protagonist of the Tomb Raider video game franchise (1996) and films (2001, 2018), gave the name a second life as an action-hero archetype for a younger generation.
Two syllables—LAH-rah—are simple and musical. The open vowels and liquid consonants give it a warmth and ease that crosses cultural boundaries without friction.
Parents who choose Lara often find its literary and cinematic pedigree appealing—a name worn by one of literature’s great loves and one of cinema’s great action heroes, in the same two syllables.
Related names include Larissa (the fuller form), Laura (sharing the laurel root in some analyses), and Larina—all in the same sonic and semantic neighborhood.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Lara
Lara - similar names
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity