Diara

French, Bambara, Western African, Modern invention, Kurdish

"lion; shining, bloom; divine + bright, clear; divine + crown; visible, clear"

Diara Origin and Meaning

The name Diara is a girl's name meaning "lion; shining, bloom; divine + bright, clear; divine + crown; visible, clear".

A familiar sounding name with multiple origins, Diara had a sudden spike in popularity in 2024, when it was given to 64 girls compared to just 13 the year before. Was this rise due to the brand UGG releasing a boot style called Diara in 2022? Did it owe anything to the Tiktok star, Diara Rodrigues (also known as Diarastim)? Was there another pop cultural influence we're missing?

Whatever the reason, Diara was a hit in 2024, and its multicultural nature may be some of the appeal. On one hand, it is related to the French Diarrat, a variation of Jara, itself rom the Bambara language. Meaning "lion, it was the name of a West African clan, now used as a given name and surname in Mali. Alternatively, it is a form of Diyara, a Kurdhish name meaning "visible, clear", or a variant of Diaraye, a West African form of Zahra.

It may also be considered a modern invention, blending Diana with Tiara or Kiara, giving it the meaning "divine + crown" or "divine + clear".