Fun Facts About the Name Jara
- 860 babies named Jara: U.S. records list 860 babies given the name Jara from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Jara Mean?
Jara has several independent origins. In Spanish, it is a feminine name taken from jara, the Spanish word for the rockrose, a flowering shrub of the genus Cistus. The literal meaning is therefore rockrose. The plant name is also found in Spanish place names such as La Jara.
In Czech and Slovak, Jara is a short form of compound Slavic names beginning with Jar-, such as Jaroslav, Jaromír, Jarmila, and Jaroslava. The root jar- is related to Czech jaro 'spring' and jarý 'fresh, vigorous, fierce.' As a diminutive, Jara does not have a separate literal meaning beyond the root of the full name.
In Sanskrit, jarā (जरा) means 'old age' or 'decay.' It is the name of a figure in Hindu mythology, the hunter Jara in the Mahabharata, but it is not a common modern given name.
Jara Name History & Origins
In Spanish-speaking countries, jara is the common name for the rockrose, a shrub of Mediterranean scrublands. The word appears in place names such as La Jara, and it is also a surname; the Chilean singer Víctor Jara is a well-known bearer of the surname. The feminine given name Jara is used in Spain and Latin America, where it shares the form of the plant word.
In Czech and Slovak, Jara is a familiar form of compound names beginning with Jar-. The male names Jaroslav and Jaromír combine the root with slava 'glory' or mir 'peace.' The female names Jarmila and Jaroslava also shorten to Jara. The root jar- is related to Czech jaro 'spring' and jarý 'fresh, vigorous, fierce.' Jara is also used as a standalone given name in Czech and Slovak.
In Sanskrit, jarā means 'old age' or 'decay.' The Mahabharata names a hunter Jara who shoots Krishna in the foot, causing his death. This is a mythological and literary use; it does not establish a continuous given-name tradition in India.
How Popular is the Name Jara?
Jara 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 2006. Its best rank was #3,321 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 | #9,121 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #11,508 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #9,260 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #9,305 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #12,744 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #9,192 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #14,532 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #13,026 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #11,077 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #13,499 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #13,601 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #13,675 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #9,868 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #10,003 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #13,956 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #8,930 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #9,104 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #6,670 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2007 | #5,977 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2006 | #5,448 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2005 | #7,281 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #6,911 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2003 | #5,303 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2002 | #5,755 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2001 | #6,453 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2000 | #5,216 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1999 | #6,312 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1998 | #6,502 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #7,030 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #4,659 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1995 | #6,399 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1994 | #5,334 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #5,300 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1992 | #6,128 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #4,886 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1990 | #4,429 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1989 | #4,294 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1988 | #4,551 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1987 | #4,549 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1986 | #3,680 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1985 | #3,558 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1984 | #4,057 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1983 | #4,009 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1982 | #4,413 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1981 | #3,782 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1980 | #3,445 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1979 | #4,107 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1978 | #3,829 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1977 | #4,752 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1976 | #6,860 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #4,969 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #5,939 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #3,847 | 16 | 0.0011% |
| 1972 | #3,321 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1971 | #7,746 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #8,496 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #4,840 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1967 | #7,194 | 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 Jara Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in intellectual and professional fields. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Jara's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jara's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.