Given name & surname
Kyra
“little dark-haired one”·“a king”
Kyra is a variant of Kiera. In Irish use, Kiera carries the interpretation “little dark-haired one.” In English use, Kyra is a feminine form of Cyrus. One Persian interpretation is “a king.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Kyra is a variant of Kiera. In Irish use, Kiera carries the interpretation “little dark-haired one.” In English use, Kyra is a feminine form of Cyrus. One Persian interpretation is “a king.” Its derivation is not certain.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Kyra is a feminine form of Cyrus. A possible origin is Greek, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Kyra is a feminine form of Cyrus.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1919. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kyra through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 38,308
- 23 boys · 38,285 girls
- Most popular year
- 2005
- 1,918 babies
- 2025
- 329
- #830 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −19%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 329 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 830 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 19.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,912 in 2005. In 2025, California and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (30 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 32,874 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kyra’s family of names
In English usage, Kyra is a feminine form of Cyrus. In English usage, Kyra has a related form in Kira. In Czech usage, Kyra has a conventional equivalent in the Polish form Kira.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Kyra has relatives in 5 languages.
6 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Kyra
- Kyra SedgwickAmerican actress (born 1965)
- Kyra LamberinkDutch cyclistborn 1996
- Kyra ZagorskyAmerican actressborn 1976
- Kyra Cooney-CrossAustralian soccer playerborn 2002
- Kyra Kyrklundequestrianborn 1951
- Kyra CarusaAmerican-Irish association football playerborn 1995
- Kyra GracieBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu and grappling practitionerborn 1985
- Kyra Vassilikiethnic Greek woman1789–1834
- Kyra ConstantineCanadian athletics competitorborn 1998
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kyra, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kara
“one who is pure” · “dearly loved”
>99% girls
Iliana
“the shining light”
>99% girls
Cira
“a king”
>99% girls
Kimber
“of the royal fortress”
3% boys · 97% girls
Kinsey
“the king's victory” · “the victorious prince”
>99% girls
Kendra
“having royal power; from the high hill” · “a royal ruler”
>99% girls
Kendall
“from the royal valley”
15% boys · 85% girls
Raina
“a queenly woman” · “queen”
>99% girls