Kirra
A feminine name of Australian Aboriginal origin meaning "leaf" or "tree bark".
Name Census estimates that about 2,535 living Americans carry the first name Kirra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kirra today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kirra births was 2008 (203 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kirra. 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.
People living today
2.5K
~ 1 in 135,209 Americans
Peak year
2008
203 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,943
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Kirra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kirra from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 1,076 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kirra 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 Kirra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kirras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 24 states and territories. California, Florida, Texas recorded the most babies named Kirra, while New York, Minnesota, Kansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 49 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kirra
The name Kirra has its origins in the Aboriginal Australian language, specifically the Yugambeh language spoken by the Yugambeh people of the Gold Coast region in Queensland, Australia. It is believed to have emerged as a name sometime in the 19th century, although its earliest recorded use is unclear.
Kirra is derived from the word "kirra," which means "leaf" or "foliage" in the Yugambeh language. This connection to nature and the plant world suggests that the name may have been given to children as a symbolic representation of growth, renewal, and the cycle of life.
While the name does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its Aboriginal Australian roots provide a rich cultural context. The Yugambeh people have a deep spiritual connection to the land and its natural elements, and the name Kirra may have been influenced by these beliefs and traditions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kirra can be found in the late 19th century, with the birth of Kirra Mango (1876-1962), a respected elder and community leader of the Yugambeh people. Mango played a crucial role in preserving and passing down the Yugambeh language and cultural traditions to younger generations.
Another notable figure with the name Kirra is Kirra Nivingie (1910-1986), an Aboriginal Australian artist renowned for her vibrant paintings depicting the landscapes and dreamtime stories of her people. Nivingie's works are celebrated for their cultural significance and have been exhibited in prestigious galleries around the world.
In the realm of sports, Kirra Warburton (born 1988) is a professional Australian surfer who has achieved numerous titles and accolades. Her name, derived from the Yugambeh language, adds a unique and meaningful touch to her identity as a surfer, connecting her to the coastal regions of her heritage.
The name Kirra has also been used in literature, with Kirra Somers being a character in the novel "The Rainbow Serpent" by Australian author Pauline McLeod (1933-2018). The book explores the themes of Aboriginal Australian culture and the struggle for reconciliation.
Another historical figure worth mentioning is Kirra Munro (1902-1988), a prominent Aboriginal Australian activist and advocate for land rights. Munro played a crucial role in the fight for recognition and equal rights for her people, and her name carried the weight of her cultural heritage and resilience.
Overall, the name Kirra has a rich and meaningful history rooted in the Aboriginal Australian culture and language. Its connection to nature, growth, and the cycle of life resonates with the traditions and beliefs of the Yugambeh people, making it a unique and culturally significant name.
People
Kirra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kirra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kirra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kirra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,535 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kirra 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 135,209 US residents.
Is Kirra a common name?
We classify Kirra as "Rare". It ranks above 94.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,574 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kirra most popular?
The single biggest year for Kirra was 2008, when 203 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kirra is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kirra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kirra 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.