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Keira

Girl name · 1,940 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Keira: 1,940 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 184 births in 2006.

Keira is the modern anglicised form of the Irish name Ciara, meaning ‘dark-haired’ or ‘dark’ – a feminine counterpart to the male Ciaran. The name gained widespread popularity in the English-speaking world largely thanks to actress Keira Knightley, star of *Pirates of the Caribbean* and *Pride & Prejudice*. Another noted bearer is England footballer Keira Walsh, a key figure in the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph. Where the spelling Ciara remains more common in Ireland, Keira has become the preferred version in Scotland, particularly from the 1990s onward. It is often considered a variant of Kiera, which shares the same Gaelic root, and both forms sit comfortably alongside other Scottish favourites like Eilidh and Isla.