Keira

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Girl · Irish Gaelic

Keira

Say it: KEER-uh

Try it with your surname

Meaning

An Anglicized spelling of Irish Ciara, a feminine of Ciar, from ciar 'dark, black'.

Likelythe main view, with some doubt.

Spread in the 2000s after Keira Knightley became famous.

Its wave through time

Most used in the 2000s

In the United States

31,097 babies given this name since 1962
At its height in 2006, about 1 in 629 girls
661 babies in 2020

Through the ages

The Modern Age1880 to today

Used by

Irish English American

The family of the name

Other spellings: Kiera, Ciara

Irish	Ciara

Famous bearers

Keira Knightley, English actress

Names worth a look

TeaganGirlFrom the Irish surname Ó Tadhgáin, from Tadhgán, a diminutive of Tadhg, a name traditionally glossed 'poet'.Modern · peak 2016

CiaraGirlFeminine of Ciar, from Old Irish ciar 'dark, black, brown'.Early Medieval · peak 2005

NorahGirlA spelling of Nora, a short form of Honora (Latin honor 'honour') and sometimes of Eleanor.Victorian · peak 2017

KerriGirlA spelling of Kerry, from the Irish county Ciarraí, 'the people of Ciar'; sometimes also taken as a form of Carrie.Modern · peak 1975 · forgotten

MckennaGirlFrom the Irish surname Mac Cionaodha 'son of Cionaodh'. Cionaodh is often said to mean 'born of fire', but its…Modern · peak 2002

DelaneyGirlFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Dubhshláine (dubh 'dark' plus a second element of uncertain meaning);…Modern · peak 2004

KarenGirlA Danish short form of Katherine, from Greek Aikaterinē, whose origin is unknown.Modern · peak 1956

GaryBoyOf uncertain origin; possibly from a surname with the Germanic element gar 'spear'. Its use as a first name grew…Modern · peak 1951

Where this comes from

United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source

Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.

Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.