The first name Keira
A girl’s name from Irish meaning “black”, “dark”, “little dark one”.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
Keira means “black”, “dark”, “little dark one” in Irish.
A modern feminine form of Kieran, from Irish ciar (“black, dark, little dark one”).
More names that mean black.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 109 girls were named Keira, making it the 388th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2006, with 1,622 births (#33).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Keira with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Keira at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 469 girls born in the United States were named Keira, the 622nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2006, when 3,022 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Keira
2 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Keira KnightleyBritish actress (born 1985)
- Keira WalshEnglish footballer (born 1997)
More Irish girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Keira mean?
- Keira means “black”, “dark”, “little dark one” in Irish.
- What is the origin of the name Keira?
- A modern feminine form of Kieran, from Irish ciar (“black, dark, little dark one”).
- How popular is the name Keira?
- In 2025, 109 girls born in England and Wales were named Keira, ranking 388th. Its peak was 2006, with 1,622 births.
- Is Keira a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 33,843 US babies named Keira since 1880 were girls.
- When was Keira most popular?
- 2006 in the United States, when 3,022 babies were named Keira, its highest rank at 110th.
- What are other spellings of Keira?
- Ciara, Kiara, Kiera, Keara and Keaira.