Dara for a boy - but does it sound girly?

[YouDoTheMath]

I know it can technically be used for either sex, but if it was used for a boy, do you think it would sound feminine?

[GooseyLoosey]

Never seen it spelled like that. Darragh is an Irish boys name and a very nice one too.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Nope. I love it. Dara O'Briain uses this spelling I do prefer the Darragh spelling myself.

[stripeywoollenhat]

we've talked about dara for dd2, but decided against it because it's mainly used for boys, actually. lovely name though.

[YouDoTheMath]

Do you happen to know if the "Darragh" spelling is pronounced the same way as the English equivalent "Dara"?

It always looks to me as if "Darragh" is prounounced like Darren (without the N at the end), whereas "Dara" is pronounced to rhyme with "Lara".

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Same pronounciation. The comedian is definitely 'Darrah'.

[stripeywoollenhat]

same pronunciation. you can also spell it daire.

[YouDoTheMath]

stripey If you like it you should go for it - I think a boyish name on a girl is quirky and would probably be well received (i.e. Jamie).

Doesn't always work the other way around unfortunately, as for some reason boys with slightly feminine names seem to get picked on...

[GooseyLoosey]

Darragh is pronounced as Dara - the dcs have Irish cousins with this name.

[YouDoTheMath]

Hmmm.. not sure which spelling to go for now! We have a daughter whose name is spelt the traditional Irish way, so I sort of feel like we should go for the trad spelling with this one, too; but it's DH (whose Irish!) who prefers the English spelling in this instance!

[stripeywoollenhat]

i don't think i've definitively rejected it, tbh. thankfully, the small girl is not due till beginning of december: three months may be long enough to make a decision....

[ChaosTryingToGetOrganised]

I feel mean but... a friend of mine called her son Dara (rhymes with Lara) - she is Persian and it is a Persian name.

EVERYONE in our group of friends commented "what a shame it's pronounced that way" we all thought "Darrah" (like how Dara O'Brien pronounces his name) was perfectly lovely and definitely masculine but when pronounced to rhyme with Lara just sounds girly.... we all said how the poor wee thing will be teased for his name with this pronounciation. :(

[Aphria]

Dara, Darragh, Daire are definitely all pronounced in the same way as Lara. All the people I know with this name are Irish males but I think Dara looks the least masculine written down. I'd go for Darragh if it were me.

[kittensliveupstairs]

Go with Duncan.
It is pronounced Done-cn.

[somewherewest]

I'm Irish and I've near heard of a girl called Dara. Its definitely a boys' name in Ireland. And it is pronounced Da-ra (say it quickly with a short 'a' sound in the first syllable) and not Daaw-ra. I can see how English people might consider it feminine, but then the only famous Dara in England is a bloke built like the proverbial brick shithouse .

[SaffronCake]

To me this is a girls name. I've seen Dara O'Brian taking some stick from other comedians on some TV program or other about having a girly name.

[BuntyPenfold]

I know it is a man's name, but it does just sound girly to English ears, sorry.

[TheMonster]

I once knew a Darragh. I wouldn't spell it Dara for a boy.

[pinkgirlythoughts]

The only 'real life' Dara I know is a bloke, but I wouldn't be surprised if I heard it used for a girl, either. I believe it's most commonly pronounced "darrah," but as far as I know, saying it to rhyme with Lara is also correct, just more uncommon. Maybe depends which part of Ireland you're from?

[SoupDragon]

I agree that it looks girly spelt Dara. Darragh doesn't though. I like it (and I'm English living in England)

[SoupDragon]

Edit to add : I like it pronounced Darrah, not Dara

[first1]

My niece has a pet mouse called Dara

[evenlessnarkypuffin]

I assume the comedian change the spelling for work reasons. It's a lovely name, and works like Clodagh. I'd spell it properly.

[evenlessnarkypuffin]

Am I the only one who had never heard it as a girl's name?

[wigglesrock]

I've never heard of it for a girl either. I am in NI and know quite a few Daras under five, they all pronounce it to rhyme with Lara.

[YouDoTheMath]

I think I Googled it and it came up as both a girl's and boy's name... and I have a feeling it features as a girl's name too in the Celtic Baby Names book I have.