NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Kirah

A feminine Hindu name meaning "sun ray" or "ray of light".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kirah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kirah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4103, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 7 births.

This profile covers 57 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1997 to 2015. 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 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 57 living people in the UK are called Kirah. 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 2016 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kirah ranked #4103 for girls in England and Wales in 2015, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2001, when 7 girls were registered as Kirah.
  • About 57 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kirah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4103

2015

Births in 2015

5

Latest year

Peak year

2001

7 births

Estimated living

57

2026

Meaning

What does Kirah mean?

The name Kirah is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language, derived from the word "kir," which means "wall" or "fortified city." This name is thought to have emerged during the ancient times of the Middle East, possibly around the biblical era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kirah can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it is mentioned as the name of a city in the territory of Benjamin. This reference suggests that the name was in use among the ancient Israelites and may have been associated with strength, fortification, and protection.

Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals who bore the name Kirah. One of the earliest recorded figures was Kirah, daughter of Phineas and granddaughter of Eleazar, who lived during the time of the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan, as mentioned in the Book of Joshua.

In the 12th century, Kirah ben Yosef was a prominent Hebrew scholar and poet who lived in Spain during the Golden Age of Jewish culture in the Iberian Peninsula. His works, including liturgical poems and commentaries on biblical texts, contributed to the rich literary tradition of the time.

During the 17th century, Kirah Krischner was a German painter known for her portraits and religious works. She was active in the city of Nuremberg and contributed to the flourishing artistic scene of the time.

In the 19th century, Kirah Nath Dhar was an Indian educator and social reformer who played a significant role in the promotion of female education and the advancement of women's rights in British India.

Another notable figure was Kirah Prithvi Singh, an Indian prince and military leader who ruled the princely state of Kishangarh in the early 19th century. He was known for his patronage of the arts and his efforts in promoting the distinctive Kishangarh style of Rajput painting.

While the name Kirah may have been more prevalent in ancient times, it has remained a unique and intriguing choice throughout history, carrying with it a sense of strength, fortification, and cultural richness from its Hebrew origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kirah over time

The chart below shows babies named Kirah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kirah, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2015, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kirah
02457199720062015

Decades

Kirah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kirah 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
2010s #4674 17 4
2000s #3770 31 6
1990s #2982 9 2

Related

Names similar to Kirah

FAQ

Kirah: questions and answers

How popular is the name Kirah in the UK right now?

In 2015, Kirah was ranked #4103 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Kirah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2001, with 7 babies registered as Kirah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kirah?

A feminine Hindu name meaning "sun ray" or "ray of light".

How many people are called Kirah in the UK?

A total of 57 babies have been registered as Kirah across the 12 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.