Lara

Etymology

Lara is a Spanish surname originating from the name of a village in Burgos, Spain. Its etymology is uncertain but may derive from Latin lar meaning "household god, house, home"—the same root as the Roman Lares, protective deities of the household. In Roman mythology, Lara (or Larunda) was a water nymph who became the mother of the Lares. The name is also used as a feminine given name and can be a short form of Larissa.

Notable Bearers

Notable individuals with the surname Lara include Spanish tennis player Lara Arruabarrena (born 1992) and Jordanian hacker Lara Abdallat (born 1982). It is also shared by Armenian Canadian human rights activist Lara Aharonian (born 1972), Canadian social psychologist Lara Aknin, and British mathematics educator Lara Alcock.

Cultural Significance

In the Anglosphere, the name was popularized by the character Larissa "Lara" Antipova in Boris Pasternak's novel Dr. Zhivago (1957), adapted into the 1965 film starring Julie Christie. The name subsequently entered the top 1,000 names for newborn girls in the United States from 1966 onward and has seen widespread use in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and across Europe.

Distribution

While the surname is most common in Spanish-speaking regions, particularly Spain and Latin America, the given name enjoys broad international popularity. Variations exist such as the Russian form Larissa.

• Meaning: Household god, house, home
• Origin: Latin / Spanish
• Type: Surname, primarly Spanish, also given name
• Usage Regions: Spain, Latin America, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Europe