Searra
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Scottish or Gaelic.
Name Census estimates that about 378 living Americans carry the first name Searra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Searra today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Searra births was 1997 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Searra. 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
378
~ 1 in 906,758 Americans
Peak year
1997
33 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2011 SSA rank
#14,585
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Searra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Searra from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 195 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Searra 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 Searra 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 Searra
The name Searra is a variant spelling of the Irish feminine name Siobhan, derived from the Old Irish word "siobhan" meaning "God is gracious." This name has its roots in the ancient Gaelic language and culture of Ireland, where it was first recorded in the 8th century CE.
During the Middle Ages, the name Searra was particularly popular among the Celtic Christian communities of Ireland and Scotland. It appears in several medieval Irish manuscripts and religious texts, often associated with female saints and noblewomen of the time.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name Searra was Saint Siobhan of Kildare, an Irish nun who lived in the 6th century CE. She was known for her piety and her dedication to helping the poor and sick.
In the 12th century, a noblewoman named Searra Ní Dhonnabháin was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Desmond, renowned for her patronage of the arts and her support of Gaelic culture.
Another notable bearer of the name was Searra Ní Chonchubhair, a 15th-century Irish princess and warrior who fought against the English invasion of Ireland during the Norman conquest.
In the 16th century, Searra Ní Bhriain was a celebrated Irish poet and bard who composed numerous works celebrating the history and traditions of her homeland.
During the 17th century, Searra Ní Mhaonaigh was a prominent Irish scholar and translator who played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Irish language and literature.
While the name Searra has ancient roots, it has continued to be used throughout history, with various spellings and pronunciations adapted to different languages and cultures. However, its origins can be traced back to the rich heritage of Celtic Ireland, where it has held a special significance for centuries.
People
Searra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Searra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Searra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Searra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 378 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Searra 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 906,758 US residents.
Is Searra a common name?
We classify Searra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 388 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Searra most popular?
The single biggest year for Searra was 1997, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Searra is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Searra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Searra 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.