This name is pronounced 'Keer-a'.

Famous bearer: Keira Knightly.

This is the name of a character in the popular "Jak & Daxter" video game series. (MAN I love those games!)

Anyway I have loved the name Keira ever since I first saw a movie with Keira Knightley in it. It's such a new name but yet it has history behind it and character. It is a gorgeous name to name a beautiful little girl because it creates intelligence, beauty, spunk and talent. I would definitely name my daughter Keira.

I used to like the name, but pronounced Kirra i.e. rhymes with mirror, not k-ear-ah. But now because Keira Knightly is so famous, everyone would mispronounce it, so I'm over it as a name.

In Wollongong, Australia there is a place called Mt Keira. It has beautiful views of the other mountains and the ocean.

Keira is an Irish name.

My name is Ciara said the same as Keira (keer-ah). I find it annoying how people spell it Keira! Mine's the correct spelling, hehe, nevermind spell it how you want to.

First of all, it is NOT pronounced Kee-ra. It's Key-Air-ra (sort of rolling your tongue on the "air" part). It's Japanese (Romanji) and it means "Kayla". Don't believe me? http://takase.com/shop/tattoo_japanese_name_kayla.asp

I know plenty of people who are Japanese. Kayla = Keira. It's by NO means related to "Ceira" Or whatever. That's such an ugly name and I hate it. Keira is completely different. It's a Japanese name which also refers to as "Suteki" which means Lovely or Beautiful. So please, do not say it's pronounced that way.

To the person who is so insistent it's a Japanese name, maybe it is, but it's ALSO a variation of the Irish name mentioned, in which case the pronunctiation, etc, is correct.

If "Keira" were a Japanese name, it would be pronounced "Kay-ra" or "Kay-la". It's simply a Japanese spelling of "Kayla" -- which is not Japanese in origin -- and is not related to this name at all. I also can't seem to find any evidence of there being a separate Japanese name "Keira".

So, Keira is in fact pronounced "Kee-ra", and is either from the Irish Ciara or the Russian Kira.

To the user who insists this is a Japanese name: the name Keira is not a traditional Japanese name, and it does not mean Kayla. The closest approximation I can think of for Keira is Akira, meaning bright/clear (so Ki Ra = 明 亮).

"Keira" (and it's variations) has has very old roots in Irish/Gaelic and derives from the word "ciar" (meaning black). Furthermore, Kayla is derived from Katherine, but may also be related to names such as Cailean (which, coincidentally, is also Gaelic).

I love the name Keira - I have had it for 22 years and the only complaint is the prononciation and spelling. EVERYONE mis-pronounces and mis-spells it. The way my name is pronounced is Keer-a.
Another note - when I was growing up NO ONE had this name. Now, mainly thanks to Keira Knightly I'm guessing, there are many many Keiras out there. Pick Keira because it's a strong, pretty name. But don't pick it because it is unique.

Keira is English, Kiera is Irish according to this website. I prefer the spelling Kiera.

It's not that it's an actual English name, it's just that it's an altered spelling from the usual Irish version; its origin is in the Irish name.

Ohhhh I like Keira it's a very nice name.

I really don't know the best way to pronounce it but the name and spelling of Keira is awesome!

It's unfortunate that the name Keira is becoming popular. I'll admit that the only reason that I came across this name was because of Keira Knightley (an ah-MA-zing actress, if you ask me), and I'm glad that I did. The way that this is spelled is really exotic and I'm really in love with it, but it really is regrettable that it's rising in popularity. =(

It always reminds me of Keira Knightley. It may be a nice name, but I think it's weird and cold. It doesn't say anything.

I pronounce it either Keer-ah or Kee-rah. Rarely the latter though.

The name is cool and pretty, but overused nowadays.

I've heard it pronounced KEE-ah-rah and KEE-rah. Just depends on the person, really. Keys is a cool nickname.

Obviously, my name is Keira, and I actually love my name. It's more unique in my generaton (I'm 16), than it is now after Keira Knightley. I do not know one other person who spells their name the same way that I do, and even though people often spell it "Kiera", or "Kyra", and mispronounce it to Kara, or Ciara, I like correcting them. I pronounce mine Key-rah, and my mom likes the "Kira/Cyrus" meaning better than the "Ciara" meaning, so she says it's derived from the Russian form. :)

I like the name Keira - it's pretty, and simple and classy. I have to admit that Keira Knightley did put that impression on me in the first place, because she's such a pretty actress and all. I think she "defined" this name, and made it sound classy. (Kind of like Audrey Hepburn did with the name Audrey for some people.)

Plus, I love how British people say her name.

One of my favourite names, but I wouldn't name my daughter Keira because everyone would think I named her after Keira Knightley.

'Keira' is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning 'large lagoon' or 'high mountain'.

I don't like this name. I have trouble pronouncing it, and it unfortunately reminds me of Keira Knightley, an actress who I really dislike.

Keira is a beautiful name! It has such a unique spelling and even though it's becoming way too popular, I still like it. : )

I like this name, but it weirdly reminds me of lions and your child will be feisty.

American child actress Keira Peña (born 2004 in Hollywood, Florida).

Total thumbs down. I really dislike this name. I've heard this name on and off for years. Everyone thinks it's gained popularity because of Keira Knightly and it may have but trust me, it was in use well before she came along. For some reason, I always think of a mountain cur (it's a type of dog).

My name is Keira pronounced keer-aa
It is Gaelic/Scottish/Russian descending for the Russian name Katerina
It means dark lord or black power and is not pronounced Ke-air-a. If that was the case it would be spelled Kiera not Keira.

My name is Keira and we pronounce it Key-air-a. However, we are American and never heard of anyone else being named Keira until Keira Knightly came around. Also very unique in my generation (I'm 27), but nowadays everyone's name is Keira! Its too annoying.

Interestingly, famous bearer Keira Knightley -- who popularized this spelling of the name -- admitted on Jimmy Kimmel Live that her name is actually an accidental misspelling of the name, 'Kiera.' Apparently, after she was born, her mother misspelled the name on the birth certificate, and her parents -- most humorously -- couldn't be bothered to change it.

I hate this spelling, and I hate Keira Knightley. Kiera and Kiara are better spellings.

I like the name Keira probably because it's mine but mostly because it's spunky and if you spell it as Kira in Japanese it means killer! Yay!

Well, honestly, the spelling of K-E-I-R-A really frustrates me to bits, because my name is Kiera, so people always spell it e-i instead of i-e! Although it is a fun name, and my best friend's name is Kiara, so we have fun with that! But anyway, I love my name, and I've always liked spelling it without the 'e' instead (Kira). And in fact, I was named after Mt. Keira in Wollongong!

My Name is Toi Keira (Toy) (Key-Air-Ah) I'm black Irish. The name is beautiful and it means the same also in Irish, meaning Dark. It amazes me that people will argue over something so simple as to the meaning of a name, if it's pronounced differently, oh well. Ke and Ci are in no way pronounced the same way. Sorry.

This is really annoying. I have had this name my whole life and everyone spells it WRONG. It is I before E except after C.

Keira Knightley actually admitted that her mother spelt her name wrong on her birth certificate due to her bad spelling which led to me being asked by every teacher at school why my name was spelt wrong!

I spell my name Kiera and I love it! It's amazing and people assume so many lovely things. I just want to clarify, Kiera is not always pronounced key-air-ah, I and many other Kiera's pronounce it kee-rah. I've grown up with my name pronounced wrong and it is very annoying!

My name is Keira and I have had people call me ky-rah, kee-ehr-ah. I have always spelled it e before the i. Many people spell my name wrong and pronounce it wrong. I have once wanted to change my name because I didn't know anyone with this name and no one could say it. I now understand what a beautiful and unique name it is and have always known it was Irish, meaning black haired. What my family finds funny is I have blonde hair.

Wow. Ok. So as a Keira I can say I am fairly sure there are various versions of this name, but Indigenous Australian, Gaelic/Celt, Persian and Russian are the most known.

There is Ciara, Kira, Keira, Kiera, Kyra, Kirra and other variations in spelling. I will do my best to explain which come from where to my knowledge.

In Australia, our natives say Kira, meaning leaf, or boomerang, also some say white cockatoo or cockatoos crest. The cockatoo has a very interesting place in Dreamings, some saying it is "the first creature to ever die, causing the beginning of a quest to understand mortality, the result being – immortality through rebirth".

 We have a stunning beach here called Kirra beach on the east coast; as well as a town called Mount Keira, near Keiraville, which many say means large lagoon or high mountain.

Akira is a Japanese name, often masculine, meaning bright or clear. Kira Kira in Japanese means glittery or shiny. Kira is not commonly attributed to women in Japanese as a traditional name.

Kira may come from the Sanscript or Hindi male form of Kiran, meaning "beam of light"

In Persian or Egyptian it may translate to "Like Ra" or Key of Ra, hence the pronunciation, Kee *key Ra.

Ки́ра, in Russian, is Kira, from masculine Kir. It can mean "mistress or ruler", and translates to "leader of the people" or the "one the people look to" or "beloved".

There are many divergences between Greek and Russian including Sun, Lady, Bright Lady and Brilliant, or Lady of Light, which tie into many other origins.

Ciara, is often traced back to Gaelic/ Irish/ Celtic heritage meaning dark haired, or dark haired beauty. Saint Kiara was a 7th Century Catholic Irish Virgin often confused with a 6th Century Saint called Cera, whom was no doubt also lovely.

The spelling Kira especially, has been made popular through anime and characters such as Kira (Gelfling of the Podling Village) in Jim Henson's movie The Dark Crystal, Kira (Olivia Newton John) in Xanadu, Kira Hara, mother/daughter Kira Meru & Kira Nerys and Jazdia Dax of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the emerging fan fic from there, as well as actresses Kyra Sedgwick and Keira Knightley.

Keira was a rarer English spelling until recent times due to the I before e rule except after c; which was pointed out to me personally by a school principal many years ago. I pointed out to him that c was indeed a k in many old languages where this name has origins, such as the hieroglyphs of Egypt, and also that a name is what we are given, not a set of grammatical rules.

Regardless; the origins of this name are many and though phonetics and spellings may vary, many meanings seem to meet up regardless.

Name your baby it if you feel it resonates and you like it. Spell it and say it however you may choose. Your call. There is really no right or wrong with names; we are all unique ♡

Please feel free to source your data wherever you see fit, but you may find this is a name of many origins, so I thought I would add to the links from Japanese tattoo sites. ☆.

My name is Keira and my whole family pronounces it, Keer-a. Just like Keira Knightly, also I notice some of the comments keep saying it's an ugly name but some say it's beautiful... It's your opinion but, it's kinda rude saying the name is ugly and saying that you pronounce it like this, unless Keira is your name or you know someone named Keira that pronounces it differently, then I don't think you should be telling people how to pronounce it. Also, my name is Keira and when people say it's an ugly name... it's kinda mean because I have to live with this name (Unless I change it when I turn 18).