unisex name
Ira
EYE-ruh
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 63,998
the United States
#819
2025 births
Ira means watchful, and it is 12 percent female in our records despite being a man's name in the Hebrew Bible — one of David's priests carries it in Samuel. The Latin word for anger is unrelated.
- Ira is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1947, when 968 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 6,339 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ira over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,551 |
| 1890s | 2,171 |
| 1900s | 2,073 |
| 1910s | 6,767 |
| 1920s | 8,811 |
| 1930s | 6,495 |
| 1940s | 7,813 |
| 1950s | 7,579 |
| 1960s | 4,730 |
| 1970s | 3,298 |
| 1980s | 2,249 |
| 1990s | 1,280 |
| 2000s | 1,201 |
| 2010s | 2,786 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,731 |
What Ira means
Ira means watchful, or wakeful. The Hebrew root concerns being awake and alert, so the name describes vigilance rather than a physical trait or physical alertness.
Where Ira comes from
Ira is the Hebrew Ira, connected to a root meaning watchful or awake. Two of David's officers carry it in the books of Samuel, one of them described as a priest. The name entered English use with the Puritans, who took names directly from the Hebrew Bible in preference to saints' names. A separate Latin ira means anger — the ire in irate and in dies irae — and the two are unrelated despite being identical in spelling.
Ira in use
Ira peaked in the United States in 1947, when 968 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving. It now ranks 544th in Ireland on 6 births, 819th in the United States on 523, 894th in England and Wales on 57 and 3372nd in France, across 63,998 lifetime births in five of the seven markets we track. About 12 percent of recorded births are female.
How popular is Ira?
In 2025, Ira was given to 523 babies in the United States, ranking #819 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Ira is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Ira
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ira also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ira over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Ira in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ira
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ira — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ira
What does the name Ira mean?
Watchful — from a Hebrew root concerning wakefulness.
Does Ira mean anger?
A separate Latin ira does, giving irate and dies irae. The Hebrew name is unrelated.
Is Ira in the Bible?
Yes — two of David's officers in Samuel, one described as a priest.
Is Ira coming back?
Our data marks it reviving, at 819th in the United States.
How popular is the name Ira?
In 2025, Ira was given to 523 babies in the United States, ranking #819 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Ira a girl's or a boy's name?
Ira is used for both girls and boys. About 12% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Ira?
Ira has 2 syllables.
When was Ira most popular?
Ira peaked in 1947, when 968 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Ira a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ira currently ranks #544 in the United States. After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.