Fun Facts About the Name Diarra
- 432 babies named Diarra: U.S. records list 432 babies given the name Diarra from 1880 through 2025. Even 78 boys received the name Diarra - about 1 boy for every 5 girls.
What Does the Name Diarra Mean?
Diarra is a West African name, especially common as a surname in Mali. It is a French-influenced spelling of the Mandé word written in Bambara as jara, meaning "lion." The spelling Diarra uses di before a vowel to represent the j sound, so it is a variant of Jara. The literal meaning is "lion"; in Mandé clan tradition the lion also serves as a totem, a symbolic association rather than a separate etymology.
Diarra Name History & Origins
The name belongs to the Mandé-speaking area of West Africa, where Bambara is a major language. The Bambara form is Jara, written with j for the sound /dʒ/; Diarra reflects French transcription of that sound before a vowel. French-language records fixed the Diarra spelling, which is now the usual surname form in Mali and neighboring countries. Diarra is a hereditary surname among Bambara and related Mandé families. Oral clan traditions identify the lion as the Diarra totem, but the exact date when the name became a fixed surname is not documented. It is also used as a personal name in West Africa and in diaspora communities.
How Popular is the Name Diarra?
Diarra has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1994. Its best rank was #2,706 in 1972.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,651 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #9,698 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #13,875 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #12,583 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #11,381 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #14,255 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #9,336 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #11,943 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #14,992 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #13,452 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #17,744 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #15,772 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #11,861 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #8,652 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2006 | #13,979 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #12,142 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #10,929 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #6,133 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #7,954 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #8,337 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #6,578 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1999 | #7,859 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #6,815 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #6,582 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1996 | #5,596 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1995 | #7,663 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #4,891 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #6,363 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #6,750 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1991 | #9,573 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #7,449 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1983 | #8,266 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #8,252 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #5,691 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #8,601 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | #11,025 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #9,649 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #8,030 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #6,531 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #6,060 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #4,275 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #5,098 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #4,969 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #3,636 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #5,291 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #2,706 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1971 | #5,105 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Diarra Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Diarra's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Diarra's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.