Total births
7,941
Girls' name · since 1913
Moira
Moira has 7,941 recorded births since 1913 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1963 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1901
- among girls today
- 7,941
- born since 1913
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
7,941 babies have been named Moira since 1913, making it today's #1901 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Moira has been recorded 7,941 times among girls since 1913, currently ranked #1901 nationally and more common than 89% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 2025.
- #1901 among girls today
- 7,941 born since 1913
- 2000s peak decade
- 89% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Moira is currently the #1901 girls' name in America, more common than 89% of girls - 7,941 born since 1913, peaking in the 2000s.
- #1901
- among girls today
- 7,941
- born since 1913
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other girls
Moira vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1901
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 89% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Moira was born in this single decade.
1963
Single peak year
144 babies were named Moira in 1963 - its busiest year on record.
How Moira compares
7,941 Top 10% higher than 90% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Moira's all-time total is 21x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Moira | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,941 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 144 | 48 | 19,840 |
Moira's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Moira's SSA record in two at 1972 and the more recent half accounts for 66% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 34%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1913, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1963 peak of 144, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Moira at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1963
Current rank
#1,901
Active since
1913
Moira popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2025
- Peak year (1963)
- 144
- Annual births at peak, across 113 years of records
Moira by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Moira's strongest decade.
1,215 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Moira births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 11
1910s
11 births
- 1920s 69
1920s
69 births
- 1930s 151
1930s
151 births
- 1940s 256
1940s
256 births
- 1950s
1950s
881 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,199 births
- 1970s
1970s
679 births
- 1980s
1980s
654 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,010 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,215 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,175 births
- 2020s
2020s
641 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,215 births (15% of all-time use).
How Moira compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Moira's total volume
Moira vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Moira by state
Where Moira concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 893 | 11.2% |
| #2 | California | | 649 | 8.2% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 485 | 6.1% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 476 | 6.0% |
| #5 | Massachusetts | | 389 | 4.9% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 253 | 3.2% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 225 | 2.8% |
| #8 | Texas | | 165 | 2.1% |
New York share of Moira's total US births 11.2%
Even split
893 of 7,941 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 28 reporting states.
Moira appears in 28 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Moira? ▼
Since 1913, Social Security records show 7,941 babies named Moira. Today it holds rank #1901 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1963, with 144 births.
When was Moira most popular? ▼
Moira was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,215 total births. The single peak year was 1963.
Where is Moira most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Moira are New York (893 births), California (649 births), Illinois (485 births).
How long has the name Moira been used? ▼
Moira has been recorded in Social Security data since 1913, spanning 113 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Moira? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Moises, Moire, Moina, Moiya, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Moira's data
- Moira's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (1,215 total births) through the 2020s (641) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Moiras (893 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Moira
Nearby Names Like Moira
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Moira
Moises Girl
52 births
Moire Girl
11 births
Moina Girl
10 births
Moiya Girl
5 births
Moiraine Girl
5 births
Compare Moira side by side: Moira vs Moises Moira vs Moire Moira vs Moina
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Moira
Cosette #1900
3,080 births · Peak 2015
Lani #1902
7,373 births · Peak 1979
Luana #1899
4,893 births · Peak 1947
Star #1903
8,275 births · Peak 1997
Ofelia #1898
8,992 births · Peak 1929
Marin #1904
6,096 births · Peak 2007
Catarina #1897
3,965 births · Peak 2023
Karlie #1905
11,486 births · Peak 2004
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1913–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Moira: #1901 Girls' Name - 7,941 Births, Peak 1963." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/moira. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Moira draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.