Keaira

Meaning & origin

Keaira is a modern respelling of the Irish name Ciara, which means 'dark-haired' and is the feminine form of Ciaran. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1980, reflecting the broader trend of respelling traditional names with distinctive letter combinations. Its peak popularity came in 2005, though it never entered the top 1000 names; at its height, about one in every 445,000 babies received the name. Since 1994, its usage has been steadily declining. Keaira has not been associated with any particular U.S. state and has no recorded famous bearers, making it a rare and personal choice for parents seeking a name with Irish roots but a unique modern twist.

Keaira is a modern English respelling of the Irish name Ciara (feminine form of Ciaran), which derives from the Gaelic word 'ciar' meaning 'dark' or 'black', and originally referred to someone with dark hair or complexion. The name gained visibility in the United States from the 1980s onward, tracking the broader popularity of similar-sounding names like Keira and Kiera. Its spelling with a 'K' and 'ai' reflects contemporary naming trends favoring unique spellings.