Given name & surname · also Indian
Ira
“watchful”·“one who is watchful”·“of the earth”
Ira is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “watchful”, “one who is watchful”, “of the earth”, and “one who is vigilant; watchful”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original Hebrewעירא
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “watchful”, “one who is watchful”, “of the earth”, and “one who is vigilant; watchful”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In English usage, Ira is a diminutive of Irene. In Finnish usage, Ira developed from Ира.
The story
The name appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Ira appears in 2 Samuel 20:26, 2 Samuel 23:38, 1 Chronicles 11:40.
- 2 Samuel 20:26
- 2 Samuel 23:38
- 1 Chronicles 11:40
From biblical name research
Ira through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 62,535
- 55,410 boys · 7,125 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 968 babies
- 2025
- 523
- #822 for boys · #1,086 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +21%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 62% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 301 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 822 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 16.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 884 in 1947. It also appeared in 222 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (20). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 25,849 as a first name in 2020; 377 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ira’s family of names
In English usage, Ira is a diminutive of Irene. In Finnish usage, Ira developed from the Russian form Ира. Ira has a related form in Irah.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ira has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
4 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 10
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Jairshares a root
- Erishares a root
- Eranshares a root
- Iradshares a root
- Arshares a root
- Ershares a root
- Irshares a root
- Shinarshares a root
Show 2 moreShow fewer
People named Ira
- Ira LevinAmerican novelist, playwright (1929–2007)
- Ira LoscoMaltese singer and songwriterborn 1981
- Ira Sprague BowenAmerican physicist and astronomer (1898–1973)
- Ira von FürstenbergItalian socialite and actress (1940–2024)
- Ira RemsenAmerican chemist (1846–1927)
- Ira SachsAmerican filmmaker (born 1965)
- Ira MurchisonAmerican athletic competitor (1933–1994)
- Ira AldridgeAmerican-British stage actor (1807-1867)
- Ira D. SankeyAmerican gospel singer and composer (1840-1908)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ira, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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60% boys · 40% girls
Yael
“having the strength of God” · “strength of God”
65% boys · 35% girls