Ira
Ira is given to both girls and boys: 222 girls and 301 boys were given it in 2025 (#1,086 among girls’ names and #822 among boys’, #1,139 among all names counting both); 62,535 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 26,200 Americans named Ira and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (42% of everyone recorded); the median is 57 years old and half are between 25 and 72.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Ira by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Ira mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Ira is “a male given name from Hebrew, mostly of American usage.” Its etymology gives the sense “watchful” (meaning).
Also “a female given name from the Slavic languages.”
From a Hebrew name עִירָא ('ira), from a word meaning “watchful”.
/ˈaɪɹə/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Ira?
#822 among boys’ names, 2025
Ira rose from #1,021 in 2015 to #822 in 2025 among boys’ names; its share of boys born rose from 0.10 to 0.18 per 1,000.
968 babies in 1947, the peak
Ira peaked in 1947, when 968 babies were given it (884 boys, #216 among boys’ names). The 523 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 54% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 222 | #1,086 | 301 | #822 |
| 2024 | 154 | #1,438 | 233 | #972 |
| 2023 | 161 | #1,399 | 266 | #880 |
| 2022 | 196 | #1,231 | 288 | #846 |
| 2021 | 168 | #1,331 | 301 | #810 |
| 2020 | 152 | #1,435 | 289 | #803 |
| 2019 | 157 | #1,426 | 252 | #873 |
| 2018 | 147 | #1,491 | 216 | #961 |
| 2017 | 128 | #1,679 | 214 | #968 |
| 2016 | 125 | #1,708 | 218 | #952 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 97 | #2,031 | 199 | #1,021 |
| 2014 | 104 | #1,930 | 160 | #1,170 |
| 2013 | 78 | #2,353 | 156 | #1,156 |
| 2012 | 60 | #2,879 | 150 | #1,197 |
| 2011 | 46 | #3,470 | 110 | #1,478 |
| 2010 | 38 | #3,989 | 131 | #1,313 |
| 2009 | 25 | #5,606 | 127 | #1,355 |
| 2008 | 16 | #7,880 | 98 | #1,604 |
| 2007 | 17 | #7,516 | 111 | #1,451 |
| 2006 | 18 | #6,974 | 102 | #1,494 |
| 2005 | 11 | #9,700 | 94 | #1,517 |
| 2004 | 12 | #8,902 | 107 | #1,358 |
| 2003 | 13 | #8,172 | 105 | #1,319 |
| 2002 | 9 | #10,541 | 137 | #1,086 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,645 | 88 | #1,415 |
| 2000 | under 5 | 101 | #1,281 | |
| 1999 | under 5 | 99 | #1,252 | |
| 1998 | 8 | #10,465 | 96 | #1,262 |
| 1997 | 8 | #10,155 | 108 | #1,142 |
| 1996 | 11 | #7,776 | 123 | #1,011 |
| 1995 | 9 | #9,032 | 112 | #1,061 |
| 1994 | 15 | #6,104 | 109 | #1,069 |
| 1993 | 12 | #7,185 | 109 | #1,061 |
| 1992 | 8 | #9,809 | 129 | #943 |
| 1991 | 11 | #7,593 | 148 | #861 |
| 1990 | 14 | #6,244 | 151 | #834 |
| 1989 | 12 | #6,681 | 158 | #788 |
| 1988 | 14 | #5,702 | 148 | #774 |
| 1987 | 6 | #10,333 | 176 | #685 |
| 1986 | 18 | #4,418 | 197 | #638 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,165 | 161 | #693 |
| 1984 | 19 | #4,046 | 211 | #583 |
| 1983 | 12 | #5,578 | 233 | #549 |
| 1982 | 26 | #3,287 | 256 | #533 |
| 1981 | 18 | #4,205 | 276 | #507 |
| 1980 | 17 | #4,393 | 282 | #506 |
| 1979 | 15 | #4,698 | 282 | #494 |
| 1978 | 16 | #4,334 | 307 | #454 |
| 1977 | 14 | #4,745 | 306 | #459 |
| 1976 | 12 | #4,991 | 264 | #490 |
| 1975 | 16 | #4,006 | 322 | #443 |
| 1974 | 20 | #3,351 | 276 | #479 |
| 1973 | 32 | #2,371 | 317 | #439 |
| 1972 | 20 | #3,210 | 347 | #425 |
| 1971 | 25 | #2,825 | 337 | #448 |
| 1970 | 21 | #3,147 | 349 | #437 |
| 1969 | 31 | #2,314 | 411 | #388 |
| 1968 | 21 | #2,815 | 334 | #419 |
| 1967 | 20 | #2,812 | 374 | #392 |
| 1966 | 25 | #2,424 | 399 | #378 |
| 1965 | 25 | #2,427 | 408 | #385 |
| 1964 | 43 | #1,788 | 419 | #387 |
| 1963 | 35 | #1,992 | 415 | #390 |
| 1962 | 38 | #1,867 | 501 | #351 |
| 1961 | 47 | #1,648 | 552 | #333 |
| 1960 | 33 | #1,994 | 599 | #318 |
| 1959 | 38 | #1,804 | 597 | #319 |
| 1958 | 40 | #1,709 | 604 | #307 |
| 1957 | 56 | #1,413 | 638 | #300 |
| 1956 | 54 | #1,440 | 703 | #280 |
| 1955 | 51 | #1,412 | 680 | #274 |
| 1954 | 57 | #1,324 | 708 | #265 |
| 1953 | 48 | #1,416 | 728 | #256 |
| 1952 | 82 | #1,042 | 760 | #246 |
| 1951 | 69 | #1,122 | 811 | #234 |
| 1950 | 58 | #1,215 | 797 | #231 |
| 1949 | 65 | #1,127 | 790 | #229 |
| 1948 | 69 | #1,061 | 823 | #226 |
| 1947 | 84 | #969 | 884 | #216 |
| 1946 | 61 | #1,090 | 780 | #218 |
| 1945 | 68 | #921 | 658 | #212 |
| 1944 | 72 | #900 | 614 | #224 |
| 1943 | 66 | #980 | 618 | #232 |
| 1942 | 53 | #1,077 | 760 | #204 |
| 1941 | 51 | #1,022 | 604 | #218 |
| 1940 | 68 | #864 | 625 | #205 |
| 1939 | 52 | #984 | 526 | #226 |
| 1938 | 58 | #937 | 554 | #218 |
| 1937 | 61 | #885 | 576 | #208 |
| 1936 | 66 | #830 | 501 | #227 |
| 1935 | 70 | #816 | 550 | #216 |
| 1934 | 55 | #929 | 570 | #212 |
| 1933 | 83 | #714 | 579 | #202 |
| 1932 | 68 | #838 | 661 | #194 |
| 1931 | 64 | #865 | 619 | #207 |
| 1930 | 80 | #788 | 702 | #199 |
| 1929 | 74 | #824 | 654 | #201 |
| 1928 | 100 | #706 | 728 | #193 |
| 1927 | 97 | #730 | 792 | #182 |
| 1926 | 80 | #819 | 785 | #181 |
| 1925 | 93 | #769 | 788 | #183 |
| 1924 | 100 | #737 | 834 | #173 |
| 1923 | 99 | #731 | 831 | #171 |
| 1922 | 88 | #776 | 792 | #176 |
| 1921 | 88 | #781 | 878 | #166 |
| 1920 | 81 | #809 | 829 | #170 |
| 1919 | 80 | #789 | 817 | #164 |
| 1918 | 73 | #846 | 862 | #163 |
| 1917 | 84 | #758 | 857 | #151 |
| 1916 | 74 | #793 | 820 | #149 |
| 1915 | 75 | #764 | 812 | #146 |
| 1914 | 60 | #743 | 605 | #152 |
| 1913 | 63 | #655 | 479 | #152 |
| 1912 | 50 | #716 | 394 | #152 |
| 1911 | 48 | #620 | 236 | #141 |
| 1910 | 45 | #633 | 233 | #138 |
| 1909 | 37 | #653 | 175 | #147 |
| 1908 | 36 | #642 | 196 | #130 |
| 1907 | 28 | #719 | 196 | #123 |
| 1906 | 37 | #581 | 151 | #137 |
| 1905 | 43 | #520 | 169 | #128 |
| 1904 | 28 | #660 | 144 | #140 |
| 1903 | 34 | #562 | 167 | #119 |
| 1902 | 37 | #530 | 156 | #124 |
| 1901 | 29 | #583 | 142 | #118 |
| 1900 | 50 | #480 | 218 | #107 |
| 1899 | 31 | #542 | 138 | #120 |
| 1898 | 27 | #628 | 195 | #98 |
| 1897 | 35 | #493 | 180 | #99 |
| 1896 | 31 | #540 | 190 | #101 |
| 1895 | 23 | #649 | 207 | #95 |
| 1894 | 15 | #800 | 206 | #93 |
| 1893 | 26 | #556 | 181 | #98 |
| 1892 | 27 | #531 | 231 | #88 |
| 1891 | 23 | #551 | 179 | #91 |
| 1890 | 17 | #653 | 209 | #82 |
| 1889 | 24 | #521 | 207 | #85 |
| 1888 | 23 | #528 | 222 | #84 |
| 1887 | 22 | #480 | 215 | #77 |
| 1886 | 22 | #469 | 198 | #85 |
| 1885 | 14 | #590 | 235 | #75 |
| 1884 | 17 | #511 | 284 | #66 |
| 1883 | 18 | #455 | 239 | #67 |
| 1882 | 8 | #708 | 244 | #71 |
| 1881 | 8 | #648 | 286 | #57 |
| 1880 | 16 | #426 | 249 | #66 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Ira a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 62,535 Americans recorded as Ira, 11% are girls and 89% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Ira: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Ira, and how old are they?
26,200 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 42% of the 62,535 Americans ever recorded as Ira. The median Ira alive today is 57 years old; half are between 25 and 72.
The 2020 Census counted 25,849 people named Ira (3,320 women and girls, 22,529 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 27,271 born in the U.S. The Census count is 5% below that prediction.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 2,480 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 8,990 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 4,970 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 2,760 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 2,020 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 4,950 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Ira born?
The states with the most babies named Ira are New York, Texas and Pennsylvania, with 31% of its births recorded by state since 1910.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, boys | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 7,717 | #1,242 | 1.6× |
| Texas | 4,500 | #1,147 | 1.3× |
| Pennsylvania | 2,580 | #951 | 0.7× |
| Georgia | 2,393 | #1,029 | 1.4× |
| California | 2,131 | #1,054 | 0.6× |
| Illinois | 1,949 | #1,073 | 0.7× |
| North Carolina | 1,923 | #895 | 1.1× |
| Mississippi | 1,662 | not ranked | 1.7× |
| Alabama | 1,627 | #804 | 1.3× |
| Florida | 1,615 | #1,222 | 1.2× |
Where Ira is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Ira is most over-represented in Mississippi: since 1910 it was given 1.7 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among boys’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Ira with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 5 names spelled alike, given to 63,175 babies since 1880, Ira is the most given (99% of them). In 2025 it was given to 523 of their 575 babies (91%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Ira
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Ira and names like it
- Compare Ira and IrohBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1940sIra peaked in 1947.
- New York’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Ira since 1910.
- The top names of 1947The year the most babies were named Ira.
- The names of the Baby BoomersMost people named Ira alive today were born 1946-1964.
- Names starting with IMost given first.