Girl nameCurrently #455 in the USSteady
Kira
KEER-uh//ˈkɪərə//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20054 lettersStarts with K
Meaning & origin
Sun (Russian short form); or sparkling (Japanese)
Kira has several roots: as a Russian short form of Kyra it relates to a Greek word for 'lady' or 'sun', while in Japanese it can suggest sparkle or brilliance depending on the characters used. Its short, bright sound has made it popular across several cultures.
Kira's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Kira |
|---|---|
| 1938 | 5 |
| 1948 | 5 |
| 1952 | 11 |
| 1954 | 7 |
| 1955 | 6 |
| 1956 | 17 |
| 1957 | 12 |
| 1958 | 22 |
| 1959 | 13 |
| 1960 | 27 |
| 1961 | 28 |
| 1962 | 33 |
| 1963 | 44 |
| 1964 | 63 |
| 1965 | 58 |
| 1966 | 85 |
| 1967 | 81 |
| 1968 | 89 |
| 1969 | 119 |
| 1970 | 121 |
| 1971 | 130 |
| 1972 | 104 |
| 1973 | 123 |
| 1974 | 193 |
| 1975 | 258 |
| 1976 | 146 |
| 1977 | 144 |
| 1978 | 134 |
| 1979 | 153 |
| 1980 | 209 |
| 1981 | 393 |
| 1982 | 897 |
| 1983 | 555 |
| 1984 | 771 |
| 1985 | 596 |
| 1986 | 492 |
| 1987 | 530 |
| 1988 | 559 |
| 1989 | 476 |
| 1990 | 449 |
| 1991 | 531 |
| 1992 | 586 |
| 1993 | 656 |
| 1994 | 676 |
| 1995 | 682 |
| 1996 | 725 |
| 1997 | 892 |
| 1998 | 1,136 |
| 1999 | 1,106 |
| 2000 | 1,092 |
| 2001 | 1,093 |
| 2002 | 1,126 |
| 2003 | 1,084 |
| 2004 | 1,190 |
| 2005 | 1,396 |
| 2006 | 1,362 |
| 2007 | 1,266 |
| 2008 | 1,370 |
| 2009 | 1,117 |
| 2010 | 1,036 |
| 2011 | 946 |
| 2012 | 885 |
| 2013 | 901 |
| 2014 | 950 |
| 2015 | 910 |
| 2016 | 881 |
| 2017 | 821 |
| 2018 | 829 |
| 2019 | 818 |
| 2020 | 808 |
| 2021 | 813 |
| 2022 | 801 |
| 2023 | 718 |
| 2024 | 684 |
Kira through the decades
- Kira peaked in 2005, when 1,396 babies were named Kira in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Kira has fallen 28% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Kira currently ranks #455 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Kira
Variants & spellings
KyraKeira