UK girl's name
Zira
Of Arabic origin meaning "bright" or "shining".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Zira is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Zira popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2022 to 2022. 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.
Zira is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Zira. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Zira ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 3 girls were registered as Zira.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zira as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2022
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Zira mean?
The name Zira originates from the Persian language, where it is derived from the word "zir," meaning "gold" or "golden." The name has been in use since ancient times in the Persian cultural sphere, which encompassed modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zira can be found in the ancient Persian epic, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. In this epic, Zira is mentioned as the name of a brave warrior and military commander.
Throughout history, the name Zira has been associated with strength, courage, and resilience. In the 13th century, a prominent Persian philosopher and mystic named Zira al-Din Razi gained widespread recognition for his contributions to the fields of philosophy, medicine, and alchemy.
In the 16th century, a Persian noblewoman named Zira Begum played a significant role in the court of the Mughal Empire, serving as a trusted advisor and confidante to the emperor Akbar the Great. Her influence and wisdom were highly regarded during her time.
Another notable figure bearing the name Zira was Zira Yazdgerdi, a 17th-century Persian poet and scholar who gained acclaim for her mastery of the Persian language and her contributions to the literary tradition of her time.
In more recent history, Zira Hosseini was a prominent Iranian women's rights activist and writer who fought for gender equality and social justice in the early 20th century. Her writings and advocacy played a crucial role in shaping the feminist movement in Iran.
While the name Zira has its roots in the Persian culture, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and regions throughout history, reflecting its enduring appeal and the cross-cultural exchange of names.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Zira by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zira 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 | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Zira
- Zoe 23,808
- Zara 19,377
- Zainab 9,407
- Zahra 8,438
- Zoya 4,523
- Zuzanna 4,231
- Zaynab 3,722
- Zofia 2,773
- Zaynah 1,472
- Zaina 1,376
- Zoey 1,262
- Zarah 1,167
FAQ
Zira: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zira in the UK right now?
In 2022, Zira was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Zira most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 3 babies registered as Zira in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zira?
Of Arabic origin meaning "bright" or "shining".
How many people are called Zira in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Zira across the 1 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.