Lara - why isn't it more popular?

[GeorgianaDevonshire]

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.

I think it is odd that it's not more popular.

It's just as nice a name as most of the top names.

I think it will become more popular in the future.

Chocolate - I laughed at your husband's "couple of vowels with some letters in between" we are considering Jude for our ds due soon and although I do like it
something about it doesn't work for me but I struggled to explain it in words and that sums it up perfectly!

I agree Lara is a bit meh. A girl I worked with used it recently for her dd and it was met with a very lukewarm reception in the office. No one really seemed to love it. I think it's a bit dated too and also think of 90s throwback Lara Croft in her leathers on posters in teenage boys rooms!

It does seem a bit meh but I can't work out why. It starts off well with a positive, emphatic 'L' sound but then it just sort of degenerates into a noise. Like a weak growl. Makes it seem ineffectual. My mouth almost feels like it can't be bothered by the time it reaches the 'r'.

Laura and Lorna are both beautiful though. I think the 'au' and 'or' sounds add a bit of weight to it. Much more balanced.

It's pretty dull, I think that's why. I can't understand the apparent mumsnetty love of Clara either- also a bit dull to my ears....

I think it's very similar to Laura, Lauren and Lorna and they had their peak a few years ago.

Another one here who loves the name - as a diminutive of Larissa and in its own right.

I think it's lack of 'popularity' is maybe because of its similarity to Laura - also a beautiful name, but not so fashionable now ass it was so popular a generation or so back, and therefore falls foul of the current obsession with 'yooneek'-ness.

Both names are, IMO, too unpretentious to be really 'popular'.

Question: Should 'Babynames' be renamed 'Am I Being Unusual'? It might be appropriate.

I like the name but probably would have considered other -ara names too like Clara and Cara.
Can't say why exactly, nothing wrong with name Lara to me, just doesnt grab me.

It's shit, that's why.

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 ?

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

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.

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

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

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!

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)

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).

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!

Because it's sort of wishy washy.

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?

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.

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.

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)

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!

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