Ira
The Story of Ira
As a girl name
Ira first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 16 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 196 Iras were born — ranking #1,227 that year. As of 2026, Ira ranks #1,377 for girls with 163 births, gradually rising (+11%). In total, more than 7K Iras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Ira first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 249 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 884 Iras were born — ranking #216 that year. As of 2026, Ira ranks #991 for boys with 228 births, holding steady (-2%). In total, more than 56K Iras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ira
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ira is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ira
What does the name Ira mean?
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When was Ira most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ira most popular?
Is Ira a unisex name?
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About the name Ira
Ira is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 56K births in the dataset. Ira's peak popularity came in 1947 when it ranked #57. Use the chart and map above to compare Ira's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1947 →
- Names of the 1940s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.