Ira
Girl name · #1086 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Ira? In official American birth records, Ira has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Ira ranks #1086 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 222 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2025, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,108 girls born in 2025 was named Ira.
The 145-year story
Ira first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 16 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 222 babies and a rank of #1085. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ira per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ira against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ira in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ira is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Ira will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ira is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ira is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Ira is most common in NJ (0.4 per 1,000), IL (0.3 per 1,000), CA (0.2 per 1,000), NC (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ira is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Ira
Statistically, parents drawn to Ira tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aira, Eira, Zamira, Adira, and Inara.
AiraEiraZamiraAdiraInaraIsraIqraNaira
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ira | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 222 | #1085 |
| 2024 | 154 | #1436 |
| 2023 | 161 | #1391 |
| 2022 | 196 | #1227 |
| 2021 | 168 | #1331 |
| 2020 | 152 | #1432 |
| 2019 | 157 | #1423 |
| 2018 | 147 | #1488 |
| 2017 | 128 | #1677 |
| 2016 | 125 | #1704 |
| 2015 | 97 | #2025 |
| 2014 | 104 | #1922 |
| 2013 | 78 | #2344 |
| 2012 | 60 | #2866 |
| 2011 | 46 | #3452 |
| 2010 | 38 | #3961 |
| 2009 | 25 | #5537 |
| 2008 | 16 | #7742 |
| 2007 | 17 | #7394 |
| 2006 | 18 | #6840 |
| 2005 | 11 | #9452 |
| 2004 | 12 | #8716 |
| 2003 | 13 | #7998 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10246 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9351 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ira?
In official American birth records, the name Ira first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 16 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Ira a popular girl name?
Ira ranked #1086 among girls in 2025 with 222 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2025.
When was the name Ira most popular?
Ira peaked in 2025, when 222 American girls received the name (ranked #1085 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Ira?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,108 newborn American girls was named Ira. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.