Mirah
Of Persian/Iranian origin meaning "princess" or "top lady".
Name Census estimates that about 535 living Americans carry the first name Mirah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mirah today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mirah births was 2024 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mirah. 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
535
~ 1 in 640,662 Americans
Peak year
2024
25 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,234
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Mirah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mirah from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 203 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Mirah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mirah 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 Mirah 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 Mirah
The name Mirah is a relatively modern invention, believed to have emerged in the late 19th or early 20th century. Its origins are somewhat uncertain, but it is thought to be a variation or combination of the names Mira and Sarah. The name Mira is derived from the Latin word "mirari," meaning "to wonder" or "to admire," while Sarah is a Hebrew name meaning "princess" or "noblewoman."
One possible theory is that Mirah was created as a blend of these two names, combining the sense of wonder and admiration from Mira with the regal connotations of Sarah. However, the exact circumstances and reasoning behind the creation of this name remain unclear.
Despite its relatively recent emergence, the name Mirah has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances is Mirah Wilkins (1879-1968), an American author and journalist who wrote extensively on children's literature and education.
Another notable figure is Mirah Carey (1888-1967), an American educator and activist who fought for women's rights and was involved in the suffragette movement in the early 20th century.
In the realm of arts and entertainment, Mirah Zeitlyn (born 1976) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist known for her introspective and unconventional folk-rock music.
The name Mirah has also been associated with scientific and academic achievements. Mirah Curzer (1904-1985) was a pioneering American physicist who made significant contributions to the study of nuclear physics and particle acceleration.
Lastly, Mirah Soleil Ross (born 1990) is a Canadian actress and model, best known for her role in the television series "The Killing" and her work in various independent films.
While the name Mirah may be relatively new, its blend of diverse cultural influences and associations with remarkable individuals across various fields has endowed it with a rich and multifaceted identity.
People
Mirah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mirah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mirah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mirah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 535 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mirah 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 640,662 US residents.
Is Mirah a common name?
We classify Mirah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 548 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mirah most popular?
The single biggest year for Mirah was 2024, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mirah is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mirah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mirah 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.