Dara is a short name with roots in several cultures. In Ireland it comes from dair, "oak", and is traditionally used for boys; in Cambodia and Thailand it is a girls' name meaning "star", from the Sanskrit tara; and in Hebrew it recalls Darda, a wise man mentioned in the Book of Kings. Dara ranked number 1271 in the United States in 2000, reached number 1034 in 2024 and sits at number 1129 in 2025.