UK name, mostly girls
Kayra
A unisex name of Arabic origin meaning "noble" or "moon".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 109 boys.
Kayra is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Kayra popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1603, with 19 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 27 births.
This profile covers 222 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 2002 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 221 living people in the UK are called Kayra. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kayra ranked #1603 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 19 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 27 girls were registered as Kayra.
- • Kayra is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 221 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kayra as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 67.1% of Kayra registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1603
2024
Births in 2024
19
Latest year
Peak year
2023
27 births
Estimated living
221
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kayra
In England and Wales birth records, Kayra has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 32.9% of registrations are for boys and 67.1% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Kayra registered for boys
- Ranked #4,270 in 2024
- 4 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2011 (8 births)
Kayra registered for girls
- Ranked #1,603 in 2024
- 19 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (27 births)
Meaning
What does Kayra mean?
The name Kayra has its origins in the Sanskrit language, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is believed to have emerged around the 5th century BCE during the Vedic period of ancient India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Kira," which means "ray of light" or "radiant one."
In the ancient Hindu texts, Kayra is mentioned as the name of a minor deity associated with the sun and its radiant energy. This connection to celestial bodies and the symbolism of light suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals born during auspicious solar events or those deemed to possess a luminous and radiant essence.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Kayra can be found in the Mahabharata, a ancient Sanskrit epic dating back to the 8th or 9th century BCE. In this text, Kayra is presented as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandava brothers in the legendary Kurukshetra War.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kayra. One of the most famous was Kayra Devi (1050-1115 CE), a princess from the Chalukya dynasty who was renowned for her patronage of the arts and her dedication to the promotion of Sanskrit literature.
Another prominent figure was Kayra Mishra (1456-1524 CE), a Hindu scholar and poet who authored numerous works on philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics. His treatise on the principles of astrology, titled "Kayra Siddhanta," is considered a seminal work in the field.
In the realm of spirituality, Kayra Nath (1765-1848 CE) was a revered Hindu mystic and saint who founded the Kayra Panthi sect, which emphasizes devotion to the divine and the pursuit of inner enlightenment.
Moving into more modern times, Kayra Narayanan (1920-2005 CE) was an influential Indian diplomat and statesman who served as the President of the United Nations General Assembly from 1976 to 1977.
Lastly, Kayra Mukherjee (1943-2021 CE) was a celebrated Indian classical dancer and choreographer who made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of the Kathak dance form.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kayra over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kayra in England and Wales, from 2001 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kayra, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 19 births in 2024, compared with 27 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kayra by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kayra was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1793 | 87 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2668 | 100 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3459 | 35 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Kayra
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kayra: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kayra in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kayra was ranked #1603 for girls in England and Wales, with 19 births registered.
When was Kayra most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 27 babies registered as Kayra in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kayra?
A unisex name of Arabic origin meaning "noble" or "moon".
How many people are called Kayra in the UK?
A total of 222 babies have been registered as Kayra across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.