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Moira

Girl name · 312 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Moira: 312 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 45 births in 1974.

Moira is the anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic name Màiri, itself a version of Mary, ultimately from the Hebrew Miryam. Its precise meaning is debated, but it is often interpreted as "bitter," "beloved," or "star of the sea." The name is famously borne by Moira Shearer, the celebrated Scottish ballerina and actress who starred in the 1948 classic film *The Red Shoes*. Another notable bearer is Moira Stuart, the respected BBC newsreader of Caribbean and Scottish descent. The name also echoes in Moira, County Down in Northern Ireland, a place name from the Irish *Maigh Ráth* meaning "plain of the ringfort." A familiar modern variant is the American spelling Moyra, while in Scotland, Mòr is a traditional Highland shortening.