Wikipedia

Kira (given name)

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

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

Etymology edit

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] 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.[2] 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 be translated to "leader of the people", "one the people look to" or "beloved".[3] 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.[4]

Kira is one of several Anglicized forms of the Irish name Ciara, which in Irish means "dark haired".[5]

Kira also means "strong woman" in Slavonic.[6]

There is also a Japanese name, romanized as Kira, which is common in Japan, as both given name and family name (e.g. the Kira clan of Mikawa province). 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]

People edit

Fictional characters edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Persian meaning of the name Kira". Baby Names Country. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
    - "Kira". Mom. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Kira". Think Baby Names. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Female Russian Names". 20,000 Names. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  4. ^ Н. А. Петровский (N. A. Petrovsky (2005). Словарь русских личных имён [Dictionary of Russian Personal Names] (in Russian). Moscow: Русские словари. p. 31. ISBN 5-17-002940-3.
  5. ^ "Gaelic meaning of the name Kira". Baby Name Wizard.[dead link]
  6. ^ "Kyra=". Think Baby Names. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Origin and Meaning of the Name Kira". Nickleodeon Parents Connect. Viacom. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Kyra". Think Baby Names. Retrieved 4 April 2024.


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