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At a Glance: Name: Lara – Meaning: pet form of Larissa, ultimately from a Greek place name meaning 'citadel/fortress' – Origin: Russian (pet form of Larissa) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: LAHR-ah
Lara is a classic girl's name with a worldly feel, pronounced LAHR-ah. It began as a Russian pet form of Larissa, which comes from a Greek place name meaning 'citadel' or 'fortress.' You may see it said that Lara comes from Roman mythology and means 'protection,' but that's a folk link to the household guardian spirits, the Lares, not its true source.
Meaning & Origin of Lara
Meaning: Pet form of Larissa, ultimately from a Greek place name meaning 'citadel/fortress'.
Origin: Russian (pet form of Larissa).
A common claim: Often said to derive from Roman mythology, meaning 'protection' (linked to the nymph Lara and the household guardian spirits, the Lares). Actually: The popular English name Lara is an anglicized Russian pet form of Larissa, ultimately from a Greek place name meaning 'citadel' or 'fortress' — not a direct descendant of the Roman mythological nymph. The 'protection' meaning is a folk link to the household guardian spirits, the Lares.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Lara
Phonetic: LAHR-ah IPA: /ˈlɑːrə/
Popularity of Lara
Lara peaked at #223 in 1969, when 1,354 U.S. baby girls were given the name. In 2024 it ranked #740 with 379 babies, so it's a familiar name that's far less common than it once was.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1887–2024.
Make Lara Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Lara, 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.
FAQ
What does the name Lara mean?
Pet form of Larissa, ultimately from a Greek place name meaning ‘citadel/fortress’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lara)
How do you pronounce Lara?
Lara is pronounced LAHR-ah (IPA: /ˈlɑːrə/).
Is Lara a popular name right now?
Lara peaked at #223 in 1969 and is ranked #740 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1887–2024.)
📊 How popular is Lara? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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