Lara

A short form of Larisa; its deeper meaning is uncertain.

Lara is a feminine name used as a Russian short form of Larisa, also known in the spelling Larissa. Larisa may come from the ancient Greek city of that name in Thessaly. The associated sense of “citadel” or “fortress” therefore belongs to a possible earlier derivation, rather than a certain literal meaning of Lara. A separate Lara appears in Roman mythology as a form of Larunda. That shared spelling has a different history. The Russian name also has a lasting literary association through Lara in Doctor Zhivago. English /ˈlɑɹ.ə/, roughly LAH-ruh, gives the first vowel room and softens the ending. Lara feels spare on the page but flowing aloud: the l and r keep its two syllables connected. That balance may appeal if you want brevity without an abrupt finish.

Etymology: Russian short form of Larisa, which may derive from the ancient Greek city Larisa.