Kira vs Anna

[M1rg0]

Hi everyone,
We’re looking for an international name for our new little one (we’re not originally from the UK). At the moment we’re torn between Anna and Kira. My preference is Kira, and the DH and his family seem to like Anna more.
Her older sister is called Katerina, so we’d love to hear which name you think works best alongside it.
Which name do you think sounds stronger? And does either of them have any negative connotations in the UK?

As in the Keira or Kyra pronunciation?

If I went with Kira, I’d like to keep the written version as Kira and pronounce it as KEER-uh (long “ee” sound), rhymes with Mira.

I’ve not seen Ciara spelt Kira. I think you’re going to come across a lot of explaining.

I like Anna. It’s pretty and understood all over Europe etc.

Ah cross post, so it keera to rhyme with She-ra not like Keira Knightly?

If You already have a K Yoursurname then Anna would be better.

if they are both girls it will be easier to avoid mix up of paperwork, Mail etc if they have a different first initial.

Both are lovely names.

I think they are both very pretty names!

I kind of think, though, that Katerina and Kira are too similar for sisters. If I didn't know you, and you mentioned the names Katerina and Kira, I would probably think that Kira was a nickname for Katerina.

Yes, sorry, I should have been more clear. I am considering this name:
https://www.thebump.com/b/kira-baby-name with that exact spelling

Thanks, haven't thought of it.

Thank you for sharing! Funny enough, I seriously considered Kira for my firstborn, but at the time my DH preferred the other name.

I pefer Kira, but I think Anna works better with Katerina, and is also a lovely name.

Kira can be an anglicized or simplified form of Ciara, but it's also a name in its own right in several Slavic languages (female version of Kir/Cyrus or Kirill/Cyril). As fas as I know both are pronounced KEE-ruh.

I really like it, but agree that it might feel like a shortening of Katerina, or too similar. Anna feels solid and international and a good balance for Katerina, but if you don't love it definitely keep in looking for options.

Anna - it’s more international, there is no problem with pronunciation and girls will have different initials
And it’s a lovely name, one of my favourites.

I love Anna, classic and very international.

I’m not sure I could have a Katerina (also a beautiful name) and a Kira, they’re too similar for me

Anna, hands down. Timeless.

Kira is one of my favourite names and if I’d had a daughter she would definitely have been called that.

However, I do reluctantly agree with others that Anna probably goes better with Katerina.

Definitely Anna

I agree with this.

Anna. It's a lovely name.

I think you should name the baby Anna because Kira can be hard to pronounce the right way to some teachers when doing the register and considering you already have a daughter with a name that begins with a k u shouldn't have another k name its silly

I totally agree! 😁

My 22yo dd is called Kira, and I can honestly say there has never been any confusion or explanations necessary.

It’s spelled Keira.

Mira - sounds like Eye-ra.

I prefer Kira but Katerina and Anna sound better together

I thought that was how Keira Knightley pronounced her name? How is it pronounced?

Anna, having girls names both beginning with K would seem like you're following in the footsteps of the Kardashians.