Total births
3,565
Unisex name · since 1880
Ara
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 3,565 babies named Ara, peaking in 2022. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3122
- among girls today
- 3,565
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other girls
3,565 babies have been named Ara since 1880, making it today's #3122 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ara has been recorded 3,565 times among girls since 1880, currently ranked #3122 nationally and more common than 82% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #3122 among girls today
- 3,565 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 82% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ara is currently the #3122 unisex name in America, more common than 82% of girls - 3,565 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #3122
- among girls today
- 3,565
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other girls
Ara vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3122
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 82% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
14% of everyone ever named Ara was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
78 babies were named Ara in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Ara compares
3,565 Top 16% higher than 84% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ara's all-time total is 9x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ara | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,565 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 78 | 48 | 19,840 |
Ara's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ara's full recorded timeline at 1953, 51% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 49% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1880, with just 6 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2022 peak of 78 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ara at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2022
Current rank
#3,122
Active since
1880
Ara popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 78
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ara popularity over time - boys
1,301 total births recorded since 1893 (Ara as boys' name)
Ara by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Ara's strongest decade.
488 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 14% of all-time use.
Ara births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 141
1880s
141 births
- 1890s 195
1890s
195 births
- 1900s
1900s
215 births
- 1910s
1910s
375 births
- 1920s
1920s
389 births
- 1930s
1930s
224 births
- 1940s 162
1940s
162 births
- 1950s 105
1950s
105 births
- 1960s 119
1960s
119 births
- 1970s 190
1970s
190 births
- 1980s
1980s
228 births
- 1990s 141
1990s
141 births
- 2000s
2000s
234 births
- 2010s
2010s
488 births
- 2020s
2020s
359 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 488 births (14% of all-time use).
How Ara compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ara's total volume
Ara vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ara by state
Where Ara concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 226 | 6.3% |
| #2 | California | | 185 | 5.2% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 58 | 1.6% |
| #4 | New York | | 38 | 1.1% |
| #5 | Tennessee | | 20 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Arkansas | | 18 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Florida | | 17 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 17 | 0.5% |
Texas share of Ara's total US births 6.3%
Even split
226 of 3,565 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Ara appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ara? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 3,565 babies named Ara. Today it holds rank #3122 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2022, with 78 births.
When was Ara most popular? ▼
Ara was most popular in the 2010s decade with 488 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Ara most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ara are Texas (226 births), California (185 births), Alabama (58 births).
Is Ara a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ara is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 3,565 births, and as a boy's name it has 1,301 births.
How long has the name Ara been used? ▼
Records for Ara go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Ara? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Arabella, Araceli, Aracely, Araya, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ara's data
- Ara's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (488 total births) through the 2020s (359) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Aras (226 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ara
Nearby Names Like Ara
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ara
Arabella Girl
#207 27,957 births
Araceli Girl
#728 20,268 births
Aracely Girl
#1320 9,906 births
Araya Girl
#1081 4,188 births
Aranza Girl
#1464 3,395 births
Compare Ara side by side: Ara vs Arabella Ara vs Araceli Ara vs Aracely
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ara
Tommie #3121
17,769 births · Peak 1943
Mahalia #3123
2,370 births · Peak 2020
Lennie #3120
4,835 births · Peak 1915
Lillia #3124
2,633 births · Peak 2013
Connie #3119
266,783 births · Peak 1955
Roxy #3125
3,868 births · Peak 2009
Jind #3118
190 births · Peak 2025
Maida #3126
3,003 births · Peak 1918
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ara: #3122 Unisex Name - 3,565 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ara. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ara draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.