Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Keira

23 replies

suzettenoisette · 26/10/2024 08:48

I love Keira for our daughter. Would love to hear you opinion. Is it dated?

Some people say it's a variant of Ciara, but I also read that it's a feminine form of Keir. Does anyone know which version is true?

Others on the list: Poppy, Isabella "Bella", Ruby, Sophie, Everly.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
SometimesCalmPerson · 26/10/2024 08:50

I don’t think Keira is dated, I know a few children with the name and it’s lovely.

Moreteaandchocolate · 26/10/2024 09:07

I think it’s a lovely name - the right balance of familiar but uncommon. It peaked in popularity in the 2000’s but never got popular enough for it to sound dated to that decade, so I think it’s a great choice.

I really like Poppy, Isabella, Ruby and Sophie from your list too, but they are all much more commonly used (especially Isabella and its variants).

Chewbecca · 26/10/2024 09:09

The nicest on your list IMO. I do prefer the spelling as Kira though.

Anisty · 26/10/2024 09:10

Yes, i like it and like the spelling. But my favourite name on your list there is Ruby.

Swannyb · 26/10/2024 10:59

I love it. My favourite on the list, by far. I also like the spelling Kira, but I’m not in the UK.

CarmelaBrunella · 26/10/2024 11:01

I quite like it, although do associate it with Keira Knightly. On your list I really like Sophie and Isabella.
I'm not keen on Everly - that seems a bit strange. Have you thought about Evelyn?

MotherOfVizslas · 26/10/2024 11:02

I love it

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 26/10/2024 11:16

I had one in my class at school in the 90s and the history teacher who had been there for 30 years commented that she'd never met one. Then 2 or 3 years later another started in y7 and she remarked on it to Keira nr1.

MirandaBlu · 26/10/2024 11:56

Some people say it's a variant of Ciara, but I also read that it's a feminine form of Keir. Does anyone know which version is true?

Probably both! Keir is a common first name in Scotland but is probably originally from the surname Keir/Kerr - for example, iconic Scottish Labour leader Keir Hardie was actually James Keir Hardie, with Keir being his mother's family last name, and many were named after him. Keir is/was sometimes feminised as Keira in Scotland, similar to Lyle > Lyla.

More generally, though, Gaelic-language (both Gaelic from Scotland and Gaelige/Irish) names that start with a C have typically been anglicised with a K (Caol > Kyle, Caoimhín > Kevin, Cellach > Kelly, Ciaran > Kieran, Cillian > Kilian, Ciorstaidh > Kirsty, etc.) The original C- forms are often preferred today in Scotland and Ireland, for authenticity, although the K- forms coexist and some have a legitimate (although more recent) history.

So: Ciara is a feminine form of the old Irish name Ciar/Ciara, meaning black. And in time it became Keara, Keira, Kiara, Kiera, Kira, Kiarra, Kierra, Kerry, Keri, and Kyra in English.

Kira can also be a transliteration from Russian/Cyrillic, and is the feminine form of Kirill/Cyril, meaning young or lord/noble, and also related to Cyrus - all from Greek roots.

I like Kira for the clarity - very easy and straightforward to spell and pronounce. I'd probably go with that or Ciara - but nothing wrong with Keira if you love it.

KirstenBlest · 26/10/2024 12:49

I like Ciara, but Keira will get the Kiera misspelling. Kira seems simpler.
Not keen and a bit too complicated.

Poppy - like
Isabella - not keen on Bella. Isabella/Isabelle too popular
Ruby - ok
Sophie - lovely but Sophia/Sofia too popular
Everly - awful

Cara is nice.

BowTiesPinkTail · 26/10/2024 12:57

From your list I love both Keira and Everly. The others whilst nice are very over used imo - I have primary aged children and there are so many kids with those names.

AgileGreenSeal · 26/10/2024 12:58

I would spell it Ciara - but I’m Irish ☘️

custardcreamsies · 26/10/2024 13:02

My sister is called Keira, she likes her name and very rarely is it spelled as Kiera. I think it’s a lovely name.

KirstenBlest · 26/10/2024 13:38

I have a simple name that has only a few characters. It gets misspelt a lot.
It's something like Jean and gets Jaen, Jane etc.

user1492757084 · 26/10/2024 13:43

Keira Knightley has the same spelling and she is awesome too.

Your daughter can say - It's spelt Keira, as in Knightley.

Puffalicious · 26/10/2024 13:44

Like PP says, it's still popular in Scotland. I teach secondary & we have a Keira, a few Kieras and a Ciara on our role. I like it- classic.

Atishooo · 26/10/2024 17:46

I really like it and compared to the other names on your list not overused. Where as she would be about the 5th Poppy/Sophie/Isabella at nursery or school.

StressedQueen · 26/10/2024 17:49

I really love it because it isn't popular and is pretty. Not that popular imo

Poppy - Sweet and I like it
Isabella "Bella" - Pretty
Ruby - Really love
Sophie - My daughter is Sophia and I love both
Everly - Nice too

I really like all of your names. Some of them are hugely popular though. From that basis, my favourites are Keira, Ruby and Everly

Craftysue · 26/10/2024 17:53

I think it's a lovely name - I also like Everly. I like them all but the others are quite popular where I live - I don't know if that would bother you though

BoleynMemories13 · 27/10/2024 06:50

It was definitely more popular in the mid-late 00s, at the height of Keira Knightley's fame, but I don't think it's dated now. There are definitely still pockets around. Dated, to me, means pretty much faded out of existence in the under 10s. I have quite recently taught a young Ciara.

Personally I would pronounce Kira as Ky-ra as I've only known two and they were both said like this. Keira and Kira are different names to me.

I like most of the other names on your list, especially Ruby, but find Everly a bit of a wishy-washy made up name. Evelyn (pronounced the Eh-ver-lyn way) is much more preferable.

Personally I'd go for Keira or Ruby.

cariadlet · 27/10/2024 07:17

I think it's a lovely name. I like all of the ones on your list apart from Everly.

Maverick66 · 27/10/2024 20:49

My granddaughter (almost 2) is Ciara.
She is the most beautiful child .
Disclaimer: I am biased ;)

New posts on this thread. Refresh page