Iras
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Iras. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Iras today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iras births was 1912 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iras. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Iras. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1912
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1912 SSA rank
#2,785
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Iras: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Iras by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Iras during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Iras
The name Iras has its origins in the ancient Persian language. It is derived from the Persian word "ira" which means "prosperous" or "wealthy." The name dates back to the Achaemenid era, which spanned from 550 BCE to 330 BCE, during the reign of the Persian Empire.
Iras was a popular name among the Persian nobility and aristocracy. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the ancient Greek play "The Persians" by Aeschylus, written in 472 BCE. In the play, Iras is mentioned as one of the sons of the Persian King Darius the Great.
During the Achaemenid period, the name Iras was associated with wealth, prosperity, and high social status. It was often given to male children born into affluent families or those with significant political or military influence.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Iras. One of the most famous was Iras, a Persian nobleman and military commander who served under King Darius III. He played a significant role in the Battle of Issus in 333 BCE, where the Persian forces were defeated by Alexander the Great.
Another historical figure named Iras was a Persian satrap (governor) who ruled over the region of Parthia in the late 4th century BCE. He was known for his administrative skills and for maintaining a peaceful and prosperous rule in his territory.
In the realm of literature, the name Iras appears in the works of ancient Greek and Roman writers. In the "Aeneid" by Virgil, written between 29 BCE and 19 BCE, Iras is mentioned as one of the warriors who accompanied Aeneas, the legendary Trojan hero.
During the medieval period, the name Iras continued to be used, although with less frequency. One notable figure was Iras al-Hafiz (995-1064), a Persian poet and scholar who lived during the Ghaznavid era. He was renowned for his contributions to Persian literature and his mastery of the Arabic language.
Iras has also been a name used in various cultures and regions throughout history, albeit with different spellings and pronunciations. For example, in ancient Egypt, the name "Irsu" was used, which shared similar roots with the Persian "Iras."
People
Iras + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iras as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Iras: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iras?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iras going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Iras a common name?
We classify Iras as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iras most popular?
The single biggest year for Iras was 1912, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iras is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Iras in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Iras a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iras in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Iras still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Iras in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Iras can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Iras as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Iras on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.