Moira
The name Moira, sometimes spelled Moyra, is an Anglicisation of the Irish name Máire, the Irish equivalent of Mary. Transliterated with Greek letters Μοίρα is the Greek word for Destiny, i.e. the three Fates.
- Irish
- Scottish
- English
Meaning & Origin of Moira
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The name Moira, sometimes spelled Moyra, is an Anglicisation of the Irish name Máire, the Irish equivalent of Mary. Transliterated with Greek letters Μοίρα is the Greek word for Destiny, i.e. the three Fates.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Irish
- Scottish
- English
The Story of Moira
The earliest SSA record of Moira as a baby girl name dates back to 1913, when 5 babies received it. 1963 was its biggest year on record, with 144 newborns named Moira — #874 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,937 among baby girl names with 103 births, falling sharply (-16%). In total, more than 8K Moiras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Moira
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Moira. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Moira
Phonetically similar names — useful when Moira 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 Moira
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About the name Moira
Moira is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1913 and has accumulated 8K births in the dataset. Moira's peak popularity came in 1963 when it ranked #832. Use the chart and map above to compare Moira's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1963 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.