Keira
Girl name · Celtic · Gaelic · Greek · Irish
Meaningdark-haired · Irish form of Ciara
- US rank
- #621
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #110 in 2006
469 babies were named Keira in the US in 2025. It has dropped 154 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1962–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Keira you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Keira
Keira Knightley
British actress (born 1985)
Choose Keira and your child shares a first name with Keira Knightley, a British actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Keira, like who?” Keira Knightley's Wikipedia article is available in 106 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Keira Knightley on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Andrea Raffin, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 3,427 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Keira, 469 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Keira would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKeira first shows up in US birth records in 1962, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 63 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 2006, when it ranked #110. Today it's #621, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowKeira is 2.3× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 8,039 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 3,427.
- TrendKeira has slipped 154 places over the last five years and now sits at #621. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedKeira is most popular in Massachusetts, where it ranks #190, followed by Oregon (#320) and California (#342). It's in the top 1,000 in 23 states.
- MeaningKeira is an Irish form of Ciara, which means “dark-haired”. Our records link it to Celtic, Gaelic and Greek roots.
About the name Keira
Keira is a girl name of Celtic, Gaelic and Greek origin meaning “dark-haired”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-ira”. US birth records list Keira for girls from 1962 to 2025, in 64 of those 64 years. Its best year was 2006, when it ranked #110 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #621, with 469 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesGaelic namesGreek namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.1 | 140,598 girls |
| 1970s | 24 | 42,409 girls |
| 1980s | 37 | 27,137 girls |
| 1990s | 77 | 12,905 girls |
| 2000s | 774 | 1,291 girls |
| 2010s | 765 | 1,306 girls |
| 2020s | 348 | 2,871 girls |
Other spellings of Keira
More Celtic girl names
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Isla · from Islay
- Unisex name: Riley · rye clearing
- Girl name: Maeve · she who intoxicates
- Unisex name: Kennedy · helmeted head
- Unisex name: Quinn · descendant of Conn
- Unisex name: Blair · plain, field
- Girl name: Olive · olive tree
Questions about the name Keira
What does the name Keira mean?
Keira means “dark-haired” in Irish, as a form of Ciara.
What is the origin of the name Keira?
Keira has Celtic, Gaelic, Greek, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Evelyn, Isla, Riley.
Is Keira a boy or girl name?
Keira is a girl name.
How popular is the name Keira?
Keira ranked #621 for US girls in 2025, given to 469 babies. Its best year was 2006 (#110).