Find out how popular the first name Damara has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Damara by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Damara is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 13 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Damara.

The history of the first name Damara

The name Damara has its roots in the Khoekhoe language, which is spoken by the Nama people of Namibia and parts of South Africa. The Nama are an ethnic group of the Khoikhoi people, who have inhabited these regions for centuries. The name Damara is believed to derive from the Khoekhoe word "dama," meaning "water" or "to quench thirst."

In the late 18th century, the Nama people were often referred to as the "Damara" by European explorers and settlers in the region. This term was initially applied to the Nama living in central Namibia, but it eventually became a general term for various Khoekhoe groups in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Damara can be found in the writings of German explorer and naturalist Hinrich Lichtenstein, who traveled through parts of southern Africa in the early 19th century. In his work "Reisen im südlichen Afrika," published in 1811, Lichtenstein described the Damara people and their way of life.

The name Damara has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history, including Damara Siqwana (c. 1880-1971), a South African activist and community leader who played a significant role in the struggle against apartheid. Another prominent figure was Damara Hindjou (1930-1993), a Namibian writer and teacher who contributed to the preservation of the Nama language and culture.

In the field of archaeology, Damara Mustonen (1881-1949) was a Finnish archaeologist and ethnographer known for her research on the Sami people of northern Scandinavia. Meanwhile, Damara Kubisch (1835-1924) was a German painter and illustrator who produced works depicting scenes from Greek mythology and literature.

Lastly, Damara Baird (1938-2002) was an American actress and singer who appeared in several Broadway productions and television shows throughout her career.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Damara was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Damara, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!