UK boy's name
Bara
Originally an Aramaic word meaning "son" or "child".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Bara is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Bara popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2017 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Bara is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Bara. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Bara ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 3 boys were registered as Bara.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bara as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2017
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Bara mean?
The name Bara is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, with roots dating back to ancient India around the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "bara," which means "great" or "large." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to individuals who were physically imposing or held a significant position within their community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bara can be found in the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata. In this ancient text, Bara is mentioned as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandava prince Arjuna during the epic Kurukshetra War. This reference highlights the name's association with strength and valor in ancient Indian culture.
During the medieval period, the name Bara gained popularity among various Indo-Aryan communities across the Indian subcontinent. It was particularly prevalent among the warrior classes and nobility, further reinforcing its connotations of power and prestige. Historical records from this era mention several individuals bearing the name Bara, including Bara Khan, a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century.
As the name spread beyond the Indian subcontinent, it underwent various spelling and pronunciation variations. In the Middle East, for example, the name Bara is sometimes spelled as "Barra" or "Baraa." One notable historical figure with this name is Barra bin Malik, a 7th-century Arab poet and warrior from the Banu Shaiban tribe, renowned for his eloquence and bravery.
In Europe, the name Bara found its way through various cultural exchanges and migrations. One of the earliest recorded instances is Bara von Rebensburg, a 12th-century German noblewoman and landowner. Additionally, Bara Stepniewicz was a 16th-century Polish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Polish-Muscovite War of 1577-1582.
Other notable historical figures with the name Bara include Bara Gurditt, an 18th-century Sikh warrior and commander who fought against the Afghan invaders in the Punjab region, and Bara Bhupinder Singh, a 19th-century Indian prince and ruler of the Patiala state.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Bara by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bara was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4812 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Bara
- Benjamin 90,412
- Ben 36,356
- Bradley 30,230
- Brandon 26,411
- Billy 18,608
- Bobby 16,904
- Blake 16,337
- Bailey 16,014
- Brody 7,230
- Beau 6,722
- Barnaby 5,284
- Brodie 4,801
FAQ
Bara: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bara in the UK right now?
In 2017, Bara was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Bara most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 3 babies registered as Bara in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bara?
Originally an Aramaic word meaning "son" or "child".
How many people are called Bara in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Bara across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.