Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

would you think boy or girl?

129 replies

namechangefornaming1 · 29/04/2021 13:28

Hi -simple question - if you heard the name Dara would you think it was a boy or girl? It may help if you said whether you were in the UK (I am). Thanks for your time x

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Itsokthanks · 29/04/2021 21:57

Girl. Uk

sanityisamyth · 29/04/2021 22:02

Dara (Dara O'Briain). I'm English living in Wales.

sanityisamyth · 29/04/2021 22:09

*Boy!

CoffeeBeansGalore · 29/04/2021 22:14

Dd went to nursery with a girl named Darragh (in Scotland but her parents were English & Irish).

mummysharkk · 29/04/2021 22:16

Dara (uk) as it sounds like Darla.

SE13Mummy · 29/04/2021 22:17

Boy, England.

Onlinedilema · 29/04/2021 22:18

Either

sadpapercourtesan · 29/04/2021 22:18

Boy, but I wouldn't raise an eyebrow if I heard it was a girl.

sadpapercourtesan · 29/04/2021 22:18

And I am in the UK

Marmaladeagain · 29/04/2021 22:19

I wouldn't assume either, I'd prod for a bit more info before picturing someone as the sound is similar to other names too. There are a few names like that though ie. Kim and Kelly (even Shirley) are mostly assumed to be girls but are in fact also boys names.

DramaAlpaca · 29/04/2021 22:21

It's an Irish boys' name.

I'm in Ireland but originally from the UK.

Watermelonsugar21 · 29/04/2021 22:24

Girl- it sounds like Darla. (UK) Dara O Brien would NEVER have crossed my mind until I read previous posters comments!

Synchrony · 29/04/2021 22:36

Girl, England. No question. I have never heard it for a boy before, and it reminds me of Tara, Sara, Cara, Lara etc.

Tillygetsit · 29/04/2021 22:53

Boy. In UK.

Hellocatshome · 29/04/2021 22:57

Boy, North East England

Puntastic · 29/04/2021 23:00

Boy.

Another for Dara O'Brien here.

Happymum12345 · 29/04/2021 23:33

Boy England

WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo · 29/04/2021 23:39

Boy, England

EvilOnion · 30/04/2021 00:19

I think it's a pretty unisex name.

Dara O'Brien was my first thought but I used to work with a female Dara too so I have heard it used for both.

Carouselfish · 30/04/2021 01:21

Boy. Irish and boy.

RuthW · 30/04/2021 07:27

Girl. I'm in England.

TagsMum · 30/04/2021 07:33

Boy - England

Original poster
namechangefornaming1 · 30/04/2021 10:12

Oh wow so many replies! Thank you so much everyone. We are Irish living in the UK and thinking of using it as a boy's name. Looks like a majority see it as a boy's name, I was worried it looked a bit girly. Do you think it might be misheard as Darren also? We have a Darragh in the family and also know another back home so wanted to be a bit different.
Agree totally with a PP about Dara O'Briain and how people say his, I wonder does he pronounce it like that or is it just other people?

OP posts:
AlwaysLatte · 30/04/2021 10:12

I would guess girl, UK

Edenember · 30/04/2021 10:20

Initially girl purely based on sound (Tara, Clara etc), then immediately boy when I remember it’s a boys name.