Mara

[tigrou]

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

Ssshhhhhh countingstars that may be the reason dh dislikes it

It's not a term up north for a mate at all, certainly not in Yorkshire, Cumbria or Lancashire. Don't know where pp got that idea from.
I did read an old book many years ago called 'the Making Of Mara' and loved the name.

So Mara means...............

Sea
Devil
Furry troll woman
Hag
Cute rodent

Love it!

Also,

Several rivers
A people
A language
Goddess of several different mythologies
A song
An album
The real name of the lion actor inBorn free
And the clincher, a being in Doctor Who!

I love it

Yuck, the Doctor Who connection is the one that would actually turn me off it.

I think it's lovely and unusual. I knew an Amara once which I also like.

It also means bitter in Hebrew. In the bible Ruth (or was it Naomi?) changes her name to Mara after the other one dies because "The Lord has dealt bitterly with me". This was the only meaning I knew- it's still my favourite name though!

By coincidence there's a Cumbria thread at the moment in which a few people are using 'marra' - not 'mara'. Just to clear that one up!

Mara is also the demon that tried to stop the buddha from becoming enlightened.

Wouldn't use it up north: looks too much like 'marra' (close friend/soul mate) and sounds like 'marr her' in a Geordie accent.

Due soon and just came across this name and really like it for a number of reasons BUT would you use it with surname Muir?

bunnyhopper don't know, but it might be a bit of a tongue-twister!

RaRa it is pronounced 'Mah-ra', not with a short 'a'.

I think it's very nice, and unusual too.

I would bunnyhopper, we have a McSurname and Mara is top of my list!

It makes me think of Doris Lessing's Mara and Dann. I like it!

I know several Maras. They are all Italian. I find it very pretty!

what about maren?

I love it. It makes me think of Mara Leonidis (she's from Greece) in the Trebizon books. Feisty, loyal, clever and cool.

It's my daughter's name and OH and me love it. It's short, sweet and ladylike despite its biblical meaning. My siblings and nephew/nieces all have biblical names and I wanted to carry on the tradition.