Iara

At a Glance: Name: Iara – Meaning: water spirit, lady of the water – Origin: Tupi-Guarani (Brazilian folklore), used in Portuguese – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: ee-AH-rah

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Iara comes from Tupi-Guarani, the language behind much of Brazilian folklore, and it's also used in Portuguese today. The name means water spirit, or lady of the water, and is pronounced ee-AH-rah. It has a romantic, storybook, outdoorsy, nature-inspired, and worldly feel — fitting for a name carrying its own bit of legend.

Meaning & Origin of Iara

Meaning: Water spirit, lady of the water.

Origin: Tupi-Guarani (Brazilian folklore), used in Portuguese.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Iara

Phonetic: ee-AH-rah   IPA: /iːˈɑːrə/

Popularity of Iara

In Social Security data spanning 2002 to 2024, Iara shows up just once: in 2024, when 16 babies were given the name, placing it at #7030 — the same number as its all-time peak.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 2002–2024.

Make Iara Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Iara, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Anabela
• Catarina
• Eleri
• Estela
• Flor
• Graziela

FAQ

What does the name Iara mean?

Water spirit, lady of the water. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Iara)

How do you pronounce Iara?

Iara is pronounced ee-AH-rah (IPA: /iːˈɑːrə/).

Is Iara a popular name right now?

Iara is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #7030 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 2002–2024.)

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