Yara

Yara, f.

Meaning: small butterfly, Arabic

As easy as it was for me to talk about X names, Y presented much more of a challenge! Many Y names still seem very exotic to us; it is not a letter often used for names with English routes. However I did find one I really liked and had previously overlooked.

Have a go at saying Yara. I think it has a beautiful sound. It is so similar to Tara or Lara but has that lovely, Arabian feel with the Y sound at the start. I can definitely imagine this on a glamorous woman with long, dark hair. I am not completely convinced it is ready to be adopted as a mainstream name in this country but I would love meet a little girl with this name.

It has a wonderful meaning too - 'small butterfly'. I imagine a nursery decorated with lots of butterfly murals! As a rule, Arabic names often have really great meanings, so if you're into meanings then maybe have a look at a list of Arabic names.