Boy · Persian · Muslim · Sikh
Dara
داراSay it DAA-raa
Dara meaning
Dara (دارا) is a Muslim and Sikh boy's name of Persian origin.
Holding fast, a possessor; a sovereign; Darius, king of Persia
Also used to mean: wealthy
Dara (دارا) is a Persian name. Steingass's dictionary defines dārā as holding fast or a possessor, and also as a sovereign; it was used of God, and it is the Persian form of Darius, the name of the ancient kings of Persia. Name lists give "possessor", "wealthy" or "king", in line with these senses. In India the name is tied to Dara Shikoh (1615–1659), the eldest son of Shah Jahan, a scholar who had the Upanishads translated into Persian and who lost the war of succession to his brother Aurangzeb.
Source: Steingass, A Comprehensive Persian–English Dictionary (1892), p. 496 · entry dārā (دارا) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Steingass, dārā, p. 496 · Britannica, Dara Shikoh
Famous namesakes
- Dara Shikoh (1615–1659), Mughal prince and scholar
Spellings
Dara · Daara