Baby Name of the Day: Dare

The baby name Dare is wildly, incredibly rare – but not unknown.

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME DARE MEAN?

Before we get to the baby name Dare, let’s begin with the word.

It comes from the Middle English daren or durren, meaning “to have courage.” or “to venture.”

There’s a boldness to this name.

Depending on its exact use, the word can also suggest confidence, or even audacity; a challenge; a triple-dog dare.

“How dare you?” is raw indignation.

But if you “dare say” it’s softer, a signal that you’re guessing or thinking out loud.

So that’s the word. It turns out the surname is totally separate.

THE LAST NAME DARE

Dare, Dere, Derr, and Dear are all mingled together, from an Old English word meaning beloved. Though, depending on the spelling, other origins and meanings are possible.

Of course, it’s possible that some Dares were daring. Or possibly were named because of the animal – doe, a deer. Others might’ve been thin, from the German word dürr.

One more option: Adair, a Scottish surname related to the given name Edgar. It’s a subtle alternative to the word name.

THE FIRST NAME DARE

It’s tempting to link the Irish Daire – or Dáire – to the baby name Dare.

Except it’s pronounced more like Dara, and is often spelled Daragh or Darragh. The name element dair means oak, so it’s a tree name, too.

Still, it’s a masculine name from Irish legend, and perhaps informs a handful of the uses.

VIRGINIA DARE

In the United States, this name is familiar for one primary reason: the enduring mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke, and the story of Virginia Dare.

The first child of English parents born in the New World, Virginia was the granddaughter of Roanoke Colony governor John White. His daughter, Eleanor, married Ananias Dare, and the couple set out across the Atlantic.

Born in 1587, she was an infant when her grandfather sailed for England to collect more supplies.

But remember the Spanish Armada? As Governor White arrived in England, the country went to war. It would be three long years until he was ablet o sail back to Roanoke.

On his return, he found … nothing.

The settlement was clearly deserted, and had been for some time. The 80 men, 17 women, and 11 children disappeared without a trace – including his granddaughter, Virginia Dare. (And Eleanor Dare, Virginia’s mother.)

The only clue: the word “Croatoan” carved on a post.

Croatoan was the name of a neighboring island, as well as a native tribe. Did it mean they’d been attacked? Been rescued? Or something else entirely?

Despite constant speculation and investigation, no answers have ever been reached. It remains the earliest mystery in the European settlement of America.

FOLKLORE and MYTH

Despite Virginia Dare’s recorded history ending in the earliest years of her life, a mix of stories and artistic depictions present her as a much older girl, or even a young woman.

Some stories lend her supernatural powers. In a 1901 tale, she’s transformed into a white doe by a scorned suitor; more than a century, Neil Gaiman gave her similar gifts for his comic series 1602.

Places are name in her honor, including Dare County, North Carolina – site of the doomed Roanoke settlement.

Her image has been co-opted to sell vanilla extract.

Uglier causes, too, have embraced the idea of the poor innocent white girl, lost in a brutal world.

We remain fascinated with her story. For the 350th anniversary of Virginia Dare’s disappearance in 1937, a commemorative US postage stamp and other memorabilia commemorated the early settlers. The Roanoke Island Historical Association hosts Virginia Dare Nights every August, recreating historic events with a cast of locals.

EVEN MORE USES OF THE SURNAME DARE

The surname Dare surfaces in the history books across the centuries:

• The John William Dare was one of many ships that transported convicts to Australia. The passenger log indicates that it traveled to Van Diemen’s Land – Tasmania – with 34 women, most found guilty of stealing. 
• American trapeze artist Leona Dare. By the 1880s, she was regularly performing death-defying feats. Called the “Pride of Madrid” and the “Queen of the Antilles,” she toured the world. Given the meaning of dare, it would be too perfect of a name. But instead, Leona Dare was the stage name of Susan Adeline Stuart.
• Royal Admiral Charles Dare was knighted by King George V for his military service during the first World War. 
• During the 1930s, American film actress Dorothy Dare made her name in a series of musicals.
  American choreographer Danny Dare is remembered for his work on movies like Holiday Inn.
• The surname appears on the list of survivors of the USS Arizona, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
• Scottish musician and composer Margaret Dare made her mark in the 1950s.
• Bill Dare was an English producer of radio and television comedies.

It’s an eclectic list. Some, like the aerial acrobat, clearly saw the potential of adopting such a bold name. But most appear to be born Dares, and maybe decided that the popular surname suited them nicely.

DAR WILLIAMS

And then there’s folk singer-songwriter Dar Williams. In her case, it’s short for Dorothy.

After a long career, she’s enough of a household name that Dar lends support to the idea that Dare might just work as a given name.

DARE WRIGHT

It’s Dare Wright, though, who often piques our curiosity.

Born in 1915 in Ontario, she spent her childhood in Ohio. Dare Wright grew up to be a talented photographer and storyteller. Using her doll, Edith, and two teddy bears, she created the children’s book, The Lonely Doll, in 1957.

Sequels followed, and it remains a beloved classic. It made the New York Times children’s books bestseller list of publication. Decades later, it regularly graces best-of lists.

Dare herself started out as a model before focusing on her photography. Several of her later books feature Dare as a character, too.

DARRELL, DARREN, DARIN

Could Dare – sometimes – belong a list of nicknames? Darin, Darren, Darrell, Dariel, or another Dare- name for boys, of which there are at least a dozen, might shorten to Dare.

All of the Dar- names had a good run in the mid-1900s, but the numbers don’t track. There’s no meaningful uptick in the use of the baby name Dare during the names’ peak use.

Still, it’s possible to imagine a baby boy name that shortens easily to Dare.

D.A.R.E.

Another reason Dare might have failed to catch on as a given name? Beginning in California in 1983, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program launched, aimed at preventing drug use among minors. Their mascot? Daren the Lion.

Now that the program is no longer in the spotlight, maybe it’s easier to think about Dare as a given name.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME DARE?

Between the last name and the multiple possible reasons this might be a given name, too, it’s just enough to make the baby name Dare feel like a viable option – maybe. It has yet to rank in the US popularity charts.

As early as 1916, five girls received the baby name Dare.

In 1923, five boys were named Dare.

A tiny, steady drip of children – more girls than boys overall, but more boys in recent years – have received the name.

Family names probably explain a few of the people named Dare over the years.

As of 2023, the name does not appear in the US data set, meaning it was given to fewer than five boys or girls.

BEGUILING RARITY

Between the colonial mystery and the mysterious storyteller, the baby name Dare emerges as a beguiling rarity.

This is the age of bold word names, of Journey and Legend and Blaze. Dare fits right in.

It’s the kind of names that suits adventurers and creatives, a gender neutral choice that feels old school and fresh at the same time.

What do you think of the baby name Dare?

First published on March 15, 2023, this post was revised on March 14, 2025.