NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Maira

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "rebellious" or "shining one".

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.

Maira is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maira popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #358, with 123 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 123 births.

This profile covers 1,384 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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.

Maira is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 1,412 living people in the UK are called Maira. 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

  • Maira ranked #358 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 123 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 123 girls were registered as Maira.
  • Maira ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #749 in 2023.
  • About 1,412 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maira as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#358

2024

Births in 2024

123

Latest year

Peak year

2024

123 births

Estimated living

1,412

2026

Meaning

What does Maira mean?

The name Maira has its roots in the ancient Sanskrit language, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Mira," which means "prosperous" or "peaceful." The name can also be traced back to the Persian language, where it is believed to have been derived from the word "Mir," which means "prince" or "leader."

One of the earliest known references to the name Maira can be found in the Hindu scriptures, particularly in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic poem. In this text, Maira is mentioned as a princess who was renowned for her beauty and wisdom.

Throughout history, the name Maira has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Maira Kalidas, a renowned Sanskrit poet and playwright who lived during the 4th or 5th century CE. His works, such as the play "Abhijnanashakuntalam," are considered literary masterpieces and have had a profound influence on Indian literature and culture.

Another significant figure bearing the name Maira was Maira al-Majlisi, a prominent Persian scholar and theologian who lived during the 17th century. He was known for his extensive writings on Islamic jurisprudence and theology, and his works are still widely studied in the Islamic world today.

In the realm of art, Maira Kalm was a notable German painter who lived during the 18th century. She is best known for her portraits and still-life paintings, which were highly acclaimed during her lifetime.

Moving to more recent times, Maira Mora was a celebrated Colombian singer and songwriter who rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s. Her music, which blended traditional Colombian folk styles with contemporary influences, helped to popularize Colombian culture both within the country and internationally.

Lastly, Maira Rosnarina was a prominent Malaysian politician and activist who played a significant role in the country's independence movement in the 1940s and 1950s. She was a prominent figure in the struggle against British colonial rule and later served as a member of parliament after Malaysia gained independence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Maira over time

The chart below shows babies named Maira registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Maira, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 123 births in 2024, compared with 123 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Maira
0316292123199620102024

Decades

Maira by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maira 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 #505 424 5
2010s #589 713 10
2000s #1304 224 10
1990s #2563 23 4

Geography

Where Maira is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Maira. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Maira ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #749 in 2023.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Maira in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#749 in 2023

9 years of NRS records, 35 total registered

Related

Names similar to Maira

FAQ

Maira: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Maira was ranked #358 for girls in England and Wales, with 123 births registered.

When was Maira most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 123 babies registered as Maira in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Maira?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "rebellious" or "shining one".

How many people are called Maira in the UK?

A total of 1,384 babies have been registered as Maira across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 35 more in Scotland.

Where is Maira most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Maira ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #749 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.