Kira (given name)

Kira is a mostly feminine name of multiple origins and meanings.

Kira
Pronunciation/ˈkɪərə/ KEER-ə, /ˈkiːrə/ KEE-rə
Gendermostly female
Origin
Meaningmultiple ("like Ra", "beam of light", "shine", "ruler of the people")
Region of originmultiple (Ancient Greece, Egypt, India, Ireland, Japan, Russia and Hindu)
Other names
Variant form(s)Kerra, Kiira, Kira, Kaira, Keera, Keira, Kiera, Kyra, Kyrah, Kirah, Kyreena, Kyrha, Kyria, Kyrie, Kyrene, Kyrra, and Kirra
Related namesAkira, Ciara, Cyrus, Kaira, Keera, Keira, Kiera, Kiran, Kyra

The feminine form is pronounced /ˈkɪərə/ KEER-ə or /ˈkiːrə/ KEE-rə. It might be a feminine form of the name Kiran, pronounced /ˈkɪərən/ KEER-ən. Kiran is of Hindi and Sanskrit origin, meaning "beam of light". In Ancient Hebrew "Keren" means both "a horn" and "a beam of light". Besides Sanskrit and Hebrew there might be other etymologies from Egyptian, where the word Ki-Ra means "like Ra", or Persian.[1][2] Due to the Greek interpretation of the Persian king's name Kourosh (کوروش, Kūrosh) as Κύρος (Kýros) – which was obviously modeled after the Greek word κύριος (kýrios "lord"), the feminine form being κυρία (kyría) – Kyra (or Kira) can also be understood as a variant.[3] Therefore, it is also in use as a feminine form of the Greek diminutive form Cyril.

In Russian Kira (Ки́ра) is the feminine form of the masculine name Kir, meaning "mistress, ruler", but can translate to "leader of the people", "one the people look to" or "beloved".[4] Kira could also have arrived into Russian from the Persian-Greek name Kyra. Kira can also be the diminutive of the old and rare masculine given name Avvakir.[5]

Kira is one of several Anglicized forms of the Irish name Ciara, which in Irish means "dark haired".[6]

There is also a Japanese name, romanized as Kira, which is common in Japan, as both given name and family name. Kira kira also means "glittery, shiny" in Japanese.[7]

Variant forms include Kaira, Keera, Keira, Kiera, Kyra, Kyrah, Kyreena, Kyrha, Kyria, Kyrie, Kyrene, Kyrra, and Kirra.[8] In Hindu it means sacred bells. They are used in religious ceremonies.

People with this name

Pseudonyms

Fictional characters
  • Kira (Death Note), alias of the protagonist Light Yagami in the Japanese manga/anime franchise Death Note
  • Kira (Gelfling) in the film The Dark Crystal
  • Kira (Iggy Arbuckle), a rat in the animated series Iggy Arbuckle
  • Kira (Mortal Kombat)
  • Kira the Seer in the Charmed television series universe
  • Kira, a recurring character and antagonist in Season 3 of Andi Mack
  • Kira, the main character of the book Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
  • Kira, daughter of Sarah Manning in the television series Orphan Black
  • Kira in the animated TV series Zack & Quack
  • Kyra in the movie The Chronicles of Riddick
  • Kira in the movie Xanadu, played by Olivia Newton-John
  • Kira, a Japanese mercenary in the video game Dirty Bomb
  • Kira Argounova, the protagonist in Ayn Rand's We the Living
  • Kira Aso, female protagonist in the Japanese manga Mars
  • Kira Carsen in the video game Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • Kira Daidohji in the video game series Arcana Heart
  • Kira Finster in animated Nickelodeon TV series Rugrats and All Grown Up!
  • Kira Ford (aka Yellow Dino Ranger) in Power Rangers: Dino Thunder
  • Kyra Hart in the TV show Reba, played by Scarlett Pomers
  • Kira Marlowe in TV series Flashpoint, constable, Special Response Unit dispatcher, played by Pascale Hutton
  • Kira Nerys, one of the main characters in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Kira is her family name)
  • Kira Sakuratsuki in the anime Futakoi
  • Sumeragi Kira in the anime Uta no Prince-Sama
  • Kira Supernova, character in 2013 film Escape from Planet Earth, portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker
  • Kira Yamato in the TV anime series Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (masculine)
  • Kira Yoshikage, a primary antagonist and serial killer in the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (masculine)
  • Kira Yukimura, one of the main characters in the MTV show "Teen Wolf"
  • Izuru Kira, a soul reaper in the anime Bleach
  • Sakuya Kira in the manga and anime Angel Sanctuary
  • Tsubasa Kira in the anime Love Live!
  • Kyra, a character in the video game Assassin's Creed Odyssey

See also

References
  1. "Persian meaning of the name Kira". www.babynamescountry.com.
  2. "Kira Name Meaning & Origin".
  3. "Greek meaning of the name Kira". www.thinkbabynames.com.
  4. "Russian Translation for Kira".
  5. Н. А. Петровский (N. A. Petrovsky). "Словарь русских личных имён" (Dictionary of Russian First Names). ООО Издательство "АСТ". Москва, 2005. ISBN 5-17-002940-3. page 31
  6. "Gaelic meaning of the name Kira".
  7. "Japanese & various meanings of the name Kira". Archived from the original on 2010-04-08.
  8. "Origins and 11 variant names of Kyra". www.thinkbabynames.com.
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