Meaning and background
The story behind Dara
Dara is a good example of why one spelling need not have one origin. An Irish route is an anglicized form of Dáire; the Khmer name is associated with a star and ultimately Sanskrit tārā; a Persian entry gives a wealthy sense. These are separate linguistic histories, not three interchangeable translations of the same name. For a dog, you can choose Dara for its compact shape, but if heritage or meaning drives the decision, identify which tradition you intend instead of letting a general name list decide for you.
- Origin
- One documented route is the anglicized form of Irish Dáire; Khmer and Persian uses are separately attested. Source · Source 2 · Source 3
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Everyday moments“Dara, come here!”
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About Dara
Recorded as a dog’s name
Dara appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2023 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/dæɹə/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/dæɹə/ · primary stress on syllable 1D AE1 R AH0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (3)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
- City of Seattle Seattle Pet Licenses — DOG-only name aggregate, current source dated 6 October 2026 — Secondary spelling corroboration from dog-only licence rows. No cats, owner fields, national ranking or unique-dog claim.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.