Mara

[tigrou]

This name just popped into my head for DD, and I think I'm liking it. What do you think?

[HyvaPaiva]

Love it.

[Amrapaali]

Very beautiful...

[SugarMiceInTheRain]

I like it a lot. Makes me think of Mara Wilson (child actress - Matilda, Miracle on 34th Street etc)

[tigrou]

Yay!

[Pinkbell123]

Ooh I love Mara! It was on my girls list

[kelda]

I know at least two. Very nice name.

[lljkk]

No like. Will spend life explaining she's NOT Maria.
Mariana is ok (awkward to say but pretty too).
Maria is nice enough.
Marianne is gorgeous, and can be Mara as NN.
Mar = ruin.

[TooTryHard]

I've never heard of it but it's lovely.

I don't think there would be a problem with Maria.

[themonsteratemyspacebar]

Oop north its used as a name for friend or mate. Usually towards a man. 'Alright mara' etc.
Sorry but im not fond due to the above. Its so overused and annoys me anyway, that im sure that it would get a few looks or comments if you lived up here!

But, at the end of the day, who gives a damn what we think? If you like it, go for it! Everybody will have an opinion on any name no matter what you choose.

[themonsteratemyspacebar]

Hang on a sec, i know ive just posted, but looking again.....how is it pronounced?

[lalouche]

themonster, it rhymes with Sara

[themonsteratemyspacebar]

Thanks lalouche, in that case its nothing like the mara that we use up here
They use the a's as if a for apple IYSWIM?
Instead of the ar sound for sara!

In that case OP, i've changed my opinion and i like it!

[floatyflo]

I love it. Different but not outrageous. Xx

[squoosh]

I really like it, it's one of the words for 'sea' in Irish.

[kimblesj]

It's my middle name and I like
It. Mara that rhymes with Tara. People don't mispronounce it or misspell it and it is unusual without being weird!

[squoosh]

or 'of the sea' I suppose is more accurate.

[noitsachicken]

It is a large rodent....

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(mammal)

But they are quite cute.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Um. Does sound nice but the only place I've come across 'mara' is in The Weirdstone of Brisingamen

'...the Mara, great troll-like women, practically indestructible, and one of the most significant threats to our protagonists. ... . The mara is a mingled Norse / English representation of the nightmare personified. The Old Norse word mara means a ‘nightmare, incubus,’ while in Old English there is the mære, mara, or mera ‘a night-mare, a monster oppressing men during sleep.’

[GlaikitFizzog]

I love love love it. We spent a few holidays on Skye and the cottage was called Tigh Na Mara. House by the sea in Gaelic.

Unfortunately DH googled Mara and it doesn't mean The Sea in other languages/mythology/cultures and he was put off immediately and would not consider it at all.

Pending DC turned. Out to be a DS so it didn't matter in the end, but I would like to think I could convince him if we had another.

You have my permission to use it (hopefully DH might hear someone called it and it will change his mind)

I think there is also a UK marathon runner name Mara/marra

[ErrolTheDragon]

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about the furry maras, much cuter!

[dyslexicdespot]

As errol mentioned, a Mara is a mythical creature in Scandinavia. It can also be used as a curse word, similar to the way 'Hag' would be used in English.

[dyslexicdespot]

Having said that, if I meet a woman or a girl named Mara, I would be thrilled and hope that she lived up to her namesake!

[tigrou]

Nobody's put me off... I'm loving it more and more

[GlaikitFizzog]

Yay!!

[CountingStars]

It's nice, quite pretty.

It's the name of what is considered to be the Buddhist version of the devil, just so you know.