Iyra
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "vision" or "eyesight".
Name Census estimates that about 78 living Americans carry the first name Iyra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Iyra today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iyra births was 2021 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iyra. 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 Iyra. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
78
~ 1 in 4,394,286 Americans
Peak year
2021
16 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,118
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Iyra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iyra from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 66 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iyra 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 Iyra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Iyra
The name Iyra is believed to have its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages that emerged in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BCE. The name is thought to be derived from the Sumerian word "iri," meaning "city" or "town," and may have been used to denote a person's place of birth or residence.
In the ancient Sumerian cuneiform script, the name was written using a combination of wedge-shaped symbols, and its pronunciation may have varied slightly from the modern form. However, it is clear that the name was in use during the height of the Sumerian civilization, which was known for its advanced systems of writing, mathematics, and urban planning.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Iyra can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian epic poem that dates back to around 2100 BCE. In the story, Iyra is mentioned as the name of a minor character, possibly a servant or a member of the lower class. This suggests that the name was in common usage among the general population during that time period.
Throughout the millennia, the name Iyra has been borne by various notable individuals across different cultures and regions. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Iyra the Philosopher, who lived in ancient Greece during the 5th century BCE. Iyra was a student of the renowned philosopher Socrates and is credited with recording many of his teacher's dialogues and teachings.
In the 12th century CE, Iyra al-Andalusi was a renowned Arabic poet and scholar who lived in the Iberian Peninsula during the height of the Islamic Golden Age. Her works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, were widely celebrated and influenced generations of poets and writers.
During the Renaissance period, Iyra Danti was an Italian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the fields of cartography and navigation. Born in 1536, Danti is remembered for his detailed maps and globes, which were highly sought after by explorers and scholars of the time.
In the 19th century, Iyra Aldridge was an African-American actor and theater manager who achieved international fame for his performances in Europe. Born in 1807, Aldridge is considered a pioneer in the field of theater and is celebrated for his efforts to challenge racial prejudices and promote diversity on stage.
While the name Iyra has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures, each leaving their mark on the world in their own unique way. The name's ancient Sumerian roots and its enduring presence across various civilizations serve as a testament to its timeless quality and enduring appeal.
People
Iyra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iyra 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
Iyra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iyra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 78 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iyra 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 1 in 4,394,286 US residents.
Is Iyra a common name?
We classify Iyra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 60.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 78 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iyra most popular?
The single biggest year for Iyra was 2021, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iyra is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Iyra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iyra 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.
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.