Mara

[Hankthehonk]

I'm just curious what people's opinions are on the name Mara. It's not too out there, but equally you don't see it often either.
We're pretty set on it if this baby is a girl.
We gave an older daughter named Rosa.
Most likely will go for Mara Elizabeth (middle name for a family member)

I think it's really nice. Not a name you hear often but it's not 'out there'.
Good choice!

It’s lovely and goes well with Rosa

It’s ok, inoffensive. I only know of one and she’s 12

A lovely name.

Love it

I have in my mind that it means ‘bitter’ but may have made that up!

Mara of the Acoma was a truly amazing strong character in Raymond Feist's/Janny Wurts' trilogy. Great role model.

Yes it does mean Bitter in Hebrew which rather spoils it for me but aside from that it’s quite pretty sounding, if a little harsh

There are a few Mara's in dd school so not an unusual name here. It means the sea in Gaelic

I've never met a Mara - but I quite like it. Prefer Mairi, but I'm Scottish and like Scottish names! I went to school with a Mora and a Cara, like both those names too.

Thank you everyone, nice to see the mostly positive associations!
We're Scottish living in Scotland so the gaelic meaning is the one we knew about and liked. I also love Mairi but my MIL is Mary so we didn't want it to be too close. It's a happy accident actually that she's Mary and my mum is Morna, so Mara is a bit of a combo of both.

Love it and the middle name and it goes so well with Rosa too.

I know a Mara from Latvia.
I like the name.
Mara Elizabeth goes well.
Rosa and Maraarelovely.
I also love Mary and Morag.

I think it is nicer on paper than in reality.
It's the kind of name that doesn't sound great in a lot of accents, and could sound too close to Myra for my liking.

If you like the sound maybe Martha or Maria or Marina if you like the sea association.

I know one, it’s a nice name. I also learned from her that it is the name of these rather cute creatures that run free at Whipsnade Zoo. They are about the size of a wallaby.

It goes beautifully with Rosa!

It's a slang term for mate in a really disadvantaged town near where I'm from (north west England) so it would put me off.

It's pretty but I think the bitter association stops it being more popular. It's mentioned in the Book of Ruth where Naomi changes her name to Mara because it means bitter so some familiar with the Bible story will have that association whereas most names most people won't know the meaning.

The sound is nice though as is the link to your mothers' names. It sounds nice with Rosa as well.

I really like it, but Mara Elizabeth is only two letters from my dd’s name so I would!

also have Rosa in my other DD’s name so excellent taste!

I think it’s quite pretty as a sound, but it was the name of an evil snake creature in 80s Doctor Who (Peter Davison era) which absolutely terrified me. That is quite a niche association though.

I love Mara and I posted about it on here a few months back before my daughter was born. A few replies pointed out its linked to meaning death, I don't think that's commonly known so you may be comfortable with that but it did put me off.

Nice. I knew someone called Mara who was German. Also one called Maren.

Isn’t the little girl from Mrs Doubtfire, Matilda and Miracle on 34th st, Mara?
I like it!

It is of Hebrew origin, and the meaning of Mara is "bitter", which carries the implication "strength". The biblical Naomi, mother-in-law of Ruth, claimed the name Mara (מרא) as an expression of grief after the deaths of her husband and sons.

From Wikipedia.

I think it’s very meh, like the ubiquities Mia, but there are worse names