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{{Short description|Name in various languages}}
{{other uses}}
{{mcn|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox given name
| name = Dara
| image=
| imagesize=
| caption=
| pronunciation= 
| gender = both
| meaning = various
| region = 
| origin = various
| related names = [[Darius (given name)|Darius]], Dora, Bojidar, Bozhidar, Bojidara
| footnotes = 
}}
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'''Dara''' are several [[given name]]s used for both men and women in different languages.

== Etymology ==
Dara are several different [[homonymous]] names with different [[etymological]] origins.

*In [[Hebrew]], Dara means "compassion" or "pearl of wisdom".{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
*In [[Bulgaria]], [[North Macedonia]] and [[Serbia]], Dara means "gift", or "to give a gift", its meaning directly derives from ''dar'' "gift".
*In [[Ibibio language|Ibibio]], Dara is a derivative of "joy", and it means "rejoice".
*In [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], Dara is a feminine given name meaning "girl", "young woman", or "virgin".
*In [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]], Dara is a short form of the name Oluwadara or Oluwadarasimi, given to a male or female child meaning "God's Good". Oluwa means "God" and Dara means "is good".
*Dara is an [[anglicisation (linguistics)|anglicisation]] of the [[Irish language]] given name [[Dáire]], which is likely derived from {{lang|ga|doire}} "oak wood".{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} Despite traditionally being masculine, it is sometimes used as a unisex name. Alternative spellings include [[Daire]] or [[Darragh]]. It also occurs as a [[surname]], possibly a version of the surname {{lang|ga|Mac Dubhdara}}.
*In [[Javanese language|Javanese]], Dara means "dove" or "pigeon".
*Because of the diacritic mark in [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]], Dara is also a short form of Oluwaṣindara, which means "wonder (God still does wonder)".
*In [[Gokana language|Gokana]], "Dara" mean to "carry".
*In [[Kazakh language|Kazakh]], Dara is a feminine given name meaning "special, one of a kind".
*In [[Khmer language|Khmer]], [[Thai language|Thai]], and [[Lao language|Lao]], Dara is a unisex name meaning "star".
*In [[Persian language|Persian]], and  [[Parsis|Parsi]] communities, {{transliteration|fa|Dara}} ({{langx|fa|دارا}}) is a variant of the masculine given name [[Darius (given name)|Darius]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/darius-index|title=Darius (Encyclopædia Iranica)}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Gandhi |first1=Maneka |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SSdCL2ZfflIC&q=dara++meaning+name&pg=PA108 |title=The Complete Book of Muslim and ParsiNames |last2=Husain |first2=Ozair |year=2004 |isbn=9780143031840}}</ref> In contemporary Persian, it means "rich", "well-off" and "well-to-do".
*In [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], Dara means "leader".
*In [[Swahili language|Swahili]], Dara means "the beautiful one".
*The word "Odara" derives from the Brazilian indigenous Ioruba word ''dara'', meaning "gorgeous."
*In [[Urdu]], Dara is a masculine given name meaning "possessor" or "sovereign" and "halo (of the moon)".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.muslimkidnames.com/name/Dara|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093914/http://www.muslimkidnames.com/name/Dara|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 4, 2016|title=Islamic Name Dara Meanings in Urdu - Muslim Boy Names}}</ref> It can also mean "sovereign" or "lord", a meaning shared with the Sikh language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.modernindianbabynames.com/meaning_of_sikh_boy_name_dara.htm|title=Meaning of Sikh Boy Name Dara|access-date=2016-01-08|archive-date=2015-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004082439/http://www.modernindianbabynames.com/meaning_of_sikh_boy_name_dara.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In Urdu, Dara is a short form of [[Dariush|Darius]].
*In African-American culture, the name Dara is of Bermudian origin, also meaning "beautiful".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meaning-of-names.com/african-american-names/dara.asp|title=Names - Meaning of Dara}}</ref>

== People ==
* [[Sandara Park|Dara]], (born Sandara Park, 1984), South Korean singer, actress and TV presenter, member of K-pop girl group 2NE1
* [[Dara Alizadeh]] (born 1993), Bermudian and American rower who represents Bermuda
* [[Dara Bashir]] (born 1960), Pakistani former first-class cricketer
* [[Dara Birnbaum]] (1946–2025), American video and installation artist
* [[Dara Brown]] (born 1964/1965), news anchor and senior producer for MSNBC.com
* [[Dara Bubamara]], Serbian singer
* [[Dara Calleary]], Irish politician 
* [[Dara Dotiwalla]] (1933–2019), Indian cricket umpire
* [[Dara Fitzpatrick]], Irish helicopter pilot
* [[Dara Gallagher]], Irish Gaelic footballer
* [[Dara Greig]] (born 2000), American-born Canadian ice hockey player
* [[Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl]], American magazine feature writer
* [[Dara Hayes]], birth name of the Australian DJ Tigerlily 
* [[Dara Horn]], American novelist
* [[Dara Howell]] (born 1994), Canadian freestyle skier
* [[Dara Huang]] (born 1982/1983), British-American architect
* [[Dara Jingga]], one of the Malay Dharmasraya princess who was intended to be betrothed to Javanese King Kertanegara of Singasari
* [[Dara Khosrowshahi]], [[Iranian Americans|Iranian-American]] businessman, CEO of [[Uber]]
* [[Dara Kovačević]] (born 1983), former Serbian basketball player
* [[Dara Maclean]] (born 1986), American contemporary Christian singer and songwriter
* [[Dara Mohammed]] (born 1987), Iraqi football player of Kurdish ethnicity
* [[Dara Murphy]], Irish politician
* [[Dara Nusserwanji Khurody]] (1906–1983), Indian dairy entrepreneur
* [[Darashaw Nosherwan Wadia]] (1883–1969), Indian geologist
* [[Dara Ó Briain]], Irish comedian and TV presenter
* [[Dara Ó Cinnéide]] (born 1975), Irish former Gaelic footballer
* [[Dara Ó Conaola]] (born 1945), Irish writer
* [[Dara O'Shea]], Irish Association Football player
* [[Dara Rasmi]], princess of Chiang Mai 
* [[Dara Reneé]], American actress
* [[Dara Rolins]], Slovak recording artist 
* [[Dara Shikoh]], Indian prince 
* [[Dara Singh]], Indian professional wrestler  
* [[Dara Singh (Bajrang Dal)]], serial killer
* [[Dara Strolovitch]], American political scientist
* [[Dara Torre]], American politician
* [[Dara Torres]], American swimmer
* [[Dara Tucker]], American singer, songwriter, social commentator and satirist
* [[Dara (Bulgarian singer)]], a Bulgarian singer
* Dara (דרע) is a personage in [[Books of Chronicles|1 Chronicles 2:6]], a descendant of Judah, son of Jacob.

== Fictional characters ==
* Sumerian God [[Enki]] was also known as "Dara-Mah" <ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lMGGBAAAQBAJ&q=Sumerian+Dara+Mah&pg=PT99|title=Celtic Tree Magic|isbn=9780738744063|last1=Forest|first1=Danu|date=8 October 2014}}</ref>
* Dara is a young elf from [[The Witcher (TV series)]]. 
* Dara is a Romani person from the Brazilian novel [[Explode Coração]]
* Dara is an elder from Caer Pelyn village from [[Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones|Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones]]
* Dara Shirazi, the protagonist of the book ''The Electric Heir''.
* Dara is the Princess, and later the Queen, of the Courts of Chaos in [[The Chronicles of Amber]]

==See also==
*[[List of Irish-language given names]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Given names]]