Qira
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Arabic or related languages.
Name Census estimates that about 66 living Americans carry the first name Qira. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Qira today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Qira births was 2022 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Qira. 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 Qira. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
66
~ 1 in 5,193,248 Americans
Peak year
2022
16 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,060
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Qira: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Qira 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 53 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
Qira 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 Qira 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 Qira
The name Qira is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Eastern region. This name holds a rich cultural significance and has been in use for centuries.
The name Qira is derived from the Arabic word "qir," which means "moon" or "crescent moon." This connection to celestial bodies suggests a symbolic association with beauty, serenity, and the natural cycles of life. In ancient Arabic literature and poetry, the moon was often used as a metaphor for feminine grace and elegance.
Historically, the name Qira has been mentioned in various Arabic texts and scriptures, although its exact origin remains obscure. Some scholars believe that it may have been used as a name for women in pre-Islamic Arabia, while others suggest it gained popularity during the early Islamic era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Qira can be found in the writings of the renowned Arabic poet and philosopher, Abu al-Ala al-Ma'arri (973-1057 CE). He featured a character named Qira in one of his poems, depicting her as a woman of great beauty and wisdom.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Qira. One such figure was Qira bint al-Mulk (1050-1121 CE), a prominent Arab mathematician and astronomer from Andalusia, Spain. She made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and is credited with introducing the concept of algebra to the Western world.
Another famous bearer of the name was Qira al-Qudsi (1212-1290 CE), a revered Sufi mystic and poet from Damascus, Syria. Her spiritual teachings and poetic works have left a lasting impact on Islamic mysticism and literature.
In the 15th century, Qira al-Ansari (1420-1489 CE) was a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Medina, Saudi Arabia. She was highly respected for her vast knowledge of Islamic law and her contributions to religious education.
Moving to more recent times, Qira al-Ghamdi (1880-1962 CE) was a celebrated Arabic poet and writer from Saudi Arabia. Her works often explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, earning her widespread acclaim in the literary circles of her time.
Qira al-Khatib (1920-1998 CE) was a prominent Egyptian actress and singer who graced the stage and silver screen with her remarkable talent. She was known for her captivating performances and her contribution to the golden age of Egyptian cinema.
People
Qira + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Qira as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Q
Other first names starting with Q with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Qira: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Qira?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 66 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Qira 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 5,193,248 US residents.
Is Qira a common name?
We classify Qira as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 66 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Qira most popular?
The single biggest year for Qira was 2022, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Qira is about 5 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 Qira in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Qira a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Qira 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 Qira still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Qira 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 Qira 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 the name Qira?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Qira, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.