Elara

A bright, airy choice, Elara appears in Greek mythology and is borne by a lover of Zeus who gave birth to a giant son called Tityos. One of Jupiter's moons is named after her, adding a celestial feel to the name and an appealing connection to astronomy.

Possibly derived from the Greek alara meaning "hazelnut" or "spear", it combines that favorite El- beginning with the popular -ara ending of Clara, Lara, and Amara, making it an alluring choice. A recent year saw it make the UK Top 500, while in the US, it placed just outside the Top 1000, given to 208 girls.

For now, it could make a fresher and less popular alternative to Ella, Lyra, or Laura, though it may end up feeling more popular than it is, thanks to a number of similar sounding choices: Elora, Eliora, Alora, and Alara.

Additionally, the rise of AI may also have an impact on Elara's future popularity. People who use AI to do creative work for them have noted that the tool has a surprising tendency to give characters the name Elara. For a more in-depth exploration as to why this might be, check out this article here, but to summarize, it's likely because Elara is a good blend of familiar but unknown: part down-to-earth-part-magical.

Elena, Clara, and Maya are more AI favorites, but given that fewer people will have heard Elara before, the use of it by AI may boost it up the charts as a new and interesting choice. Alternatively, however, it may send it plummeting downwards, tangling it up with the frustrations, concerns, and despair many feel towards AI generated content and AI in general.

If you are just discovering Elara because of the AI connection (or its subsequent award of Name of the Year 2025), it is a legitimate and established name with a history of its own. It's also not quite so rare as some news sources are suggesting: in the US, a recent year saw it rank alongside Harriet, Carolyn, Gaia, and Shay, while in the UK it features besides Celeste, Libby, Joy, and Sabrina.

As of October 2026, Elara ranked #942 in US births in 2025 SSA, Nameberry popularity #112.