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The short answer
Lara is a feminine name used in Russian and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965)." It ranked #693 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). The entry lists its usage as Russian, English, German, French and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Lara ranked #693 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #693 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Russian) and that sit near Lara in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lara mean?
Behind the Name does not give Lara a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: russian short form of Larisa.
Is Lara a popular name?
Lara ranked #693 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Lara a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Lara appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Lara (1) — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
