Liara is a modern name with no fixed etymology; it is often connected to the Hebrew Liora, which means "my light", or read as a blend of Liana and Lara. Many American parents first met it as Liara T'Soni, a central character in the Mass Effect video games launched in 2007. In the United States Liara had fewer than five births in 2000, ranked number 3283 in 2015 and reached number 2011 in 2025, its highest rank to date.