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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Lara - why isn't it more popular?

58 replies

GeorgianaDevonshire · 19/06/2015 23:07

I would have loved to have called DD Lara but it didn't go with our surname: Lara Landon just didn't sound right.

My friend has called her DD Lara and people say what a lovely name it is but there don't seem to be many about.

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Wasp86 · 28/09/2017 17:58

To me at least, on a very superficial level, it looks "incomplete" when compared with a name like Laura for instance.

LovelyPrep · 28/09/2017 17:54

I think Lara Landon sounds brilliant! Like a superstar name.

GrumbleBumble · 28/09/2017 14:25

It was on my girls list (along with Megan and Eleanor) and would probably have been the name we used if we'd had a girl but I wasn't keen on it for a boy!

Highpeak · 27/09/2017 23:12

I love it, was on the shortlist for DD. If I have another girl I will probably use it

Smoliver · 27/09/2017 10:23

I knew a Lara at school. She was one of the popular girls so we didn't speak much. She's a full time model now.

I think it's an ok name but it doesn't do a lot for me

Dixiestampsagain · 27/09/2017 01:56

Poppy - I once had a class which had a Lara, Kara, Clara and Zara (I kid you not!)...marginally more interesting than the class with 7 Katies though, I guess!

daisypond · 26/09/2017 08:14

I find it dull as well - a bit like you can't be bothered to pronounce Laura properly. As a short form for Larissa, it's fine.

SuperBeagle · 26/09/2017 08:03

I just find it incredibly dull.

I also find it a difficult name to say. For some reason, it doesn't roll off the tongue easily. The same goes for Clara, Laura, Lyra etc.

Christmastree43 · 26/09/2017 07:47

I know it's awful but it sounds like a 'bitchy' name to me

Liadain · 26/09/2017 07:47

And actually, among that generation I would see Laura as more unique tbh - can't think of any I have taught, as opposed to Cara/Zara/Lara names!

RedBlu · 26/09/2017 07:46

We chose it as it’s not commonly used, I don’t think is even the top 200.

I am hoping it doesn’t become popular as we like the fact her name is “unusual”. Most people around here seem to go with Ava / Isabella type names (popular)

Liadain · 26/09/2017 07:45

It isn't that unusual or rare. I teach, we have a few Laras in the school. Even in this thread you can see quite a few people with Laras.

It's ok but as people said it has a bit of a Milly/Molly vibe to it - kind of wishy washy.

Rocketbuddies · 26/09/2017 07:26

I really like names like Lara, Clara etc. They are feminine but also work as a 'grown up' and sensible name.

And so much nicer than the thousands of Amelias, Islas, Lily etc.

PoppyPopcorn · 26/09/2017 07:20

I know a couple of girls called Lara. Problem is, that I also know girls called Cara, Zara, Tara and Mara. There is a Cara and a Lara in the same class, along with a Chloe and a Zoe.

Maybe it's decreasing in popularity at the same time as Zara and Cara increase?

Mclaren37 · 26/09/2017 07:05

Because it's sort of wishy washy.

Tortycat · 26/09/2017 00:20

I love it too, think because lara in dr zhivago was so beautiful. I have loads of girls names i love but have 2ds so didnt get to use any!

Dixiestampsagain · 26/09/2017 00:12

My 7 yr old is Lara and it's my favourite name. I've taught about 4 Laras and they all been lovely. It's not particularly 'common' around here but there will usually be one in every school, or thereabouts, so not 'rare' by any means. I love it- and I like Larissa. It's just a bit 'different' to laura (and higher in the name 'charts' over the last few years, I think).

putdownyourphone · 25/09/2017 22:44

My 1 year old is Lara - I love it. Classy and understated but also very cute (and different, there aren't many of them and it's a bit more unique than Laura)

YouBetterWORK · 25/09/2017 22:37

Love it (and also love the Tomb Raider games, especially the latest reboot). Currently in the lead of our list. I for one am hoping it doesn't start getting popular, so if we do name her Lara she won't be one of loads in her class!

Bluntness100 · 25/09/2017 20:57

I loved this name and wanted to call our daughter it. My husband vetoed though as he couldn’t stop thinking of Brian Lara who is apparantly a very famous cricketer. I was glad we didn’t though when Lara Croft came out. I’d never heard of Brian Lara, but as he loves cricket he couldn’t get past it Grin

Sophronia · 25/09/2017 20:52

I really like it. It’s probably not particularly popular due to its similarity to Laura, which is a bit dated now.

AutumnLeavesSeptember · 25/09/2017 16:11

My name is Lara. I was named after Dr Zhivago in the 80s. It's been a brilliant name to have - short, to the point, memorable. No dodgy connotations. I absolutely love it. I hardly meet any other Laras, but it's not so unusual that I have to spell it endlessly.

FindTheLightSwitchDarren · 25/09/2017 15:59

I really like it too and don't know why it isn't more popular either.

LiviaAD · 25/09/2017 14:53

I think it's a beautiful, classical name, the Dr Zhivago/Lara Croft references ruin it somewhat for me though, it's traced back to Graeco Roman times, Ovid also wrote about Lara, yes, she did not have the best time but back then, what woman did ?

purdiepipesup · 26/06/2015 13:54

It's shit, that's why.

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