Hira

A girl's name of Arabic origin with 656 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's name#4223 in 2024Rising fast

Meaning & Origin

the grotto or cave, in Saudi Arabia, where Muhammad first received the Qur'an from Gabriel.

Hira is a girl's baby name of Arabic origin, meaning 'diamond' or named after the Cave of Hira — the sacred grotto near Mecca where the Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Quran from the angel Gabriel. The name holds profound spiritual significance in Islamic tradition.

Hira is widely used among Muslim communities in Pakistan, India, and across the Arab world. Its dual meanings — precious gemstone and sacred place — give it both material and spiritual resonance. Short, clear, and quietly powerful, Hira is a name that carries immense meaning in just four letters.

EtymologyShow more

Hira appeared in SSA records in 1984, placing it in the modern era of American naming — a period when parents increasingly began breaking from generational naming patterns, experimenting with spelling, and treating naming as a form of creative self-expression. Its Arabic roots may have been the starting point, adapted or respelled to fit contemporary American tastes.

Hira’s 656 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by hundreds of families.

At a Glance

656

Total births

Since 1984

1999

Peak

35 births

1984

First recorded

41 years of data

Compare Hira with another name

Popularity Over Time

Hira climbed 1411 spots in the last 20 years — from #5634 to #4223.

First appeared: 1984Peak: 1999 (35 births)Current: #4223

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Hira
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	86	#7801	▼
2010s	130	#9775	▼
2000s	168	#7304	▼
1990s	239	#4475	▲
1980s	33	#9447	—

The Story of Hira

A Gen Z name

Peaking in 1999, Hira is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Hira are most likely born between 1989 and 2009.

How rare is Hira?

Only about 1 in every 105,882 babies born in 2024 was named Hira — a truly uncommon choice.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1984, peaked in the 1990s with 239 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.

Hira by the numbers

Would fill 14 school buses
Meeting one Hira per day would take 1.8 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(39 years, 1984–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Hira
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	34	#4223	+15 (78.9%)
2023	19	#6253	+8 (72.7%)
2022	11	#9281	-3 (-21.4%)
2021	14	#7774	+6 (75.0%)
2020	8	#11474	-4 (-33.3%)
2019	12	#8787	-7 (-36.8%)
2018	19	#6353	+7 (58.3%)
2017	12	#8985	-11 (-47.8%)
2016	23	#5690	+8 (53.3%)
2015	15	#7762	-4 (-21.1%)
2014	19	#6547	+13 (216.7%)
2013	6	#15324	-1 (-14.3%)
2012	7	#14033	-2 (-22.2%)
2011	9	#11538	+1 (12.5%)
2010	8	#12731	-5 (-38.5%)
2009	13	#9080	-3 (-18.8%)
2008	16	#7879	-5 (-23.8%)
2007	21	#6409	+8 (61.5%)
2006	13	#8911	0
2005	13	#8513	-9 (-40.9%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hira a boy's or girl's name?

Hira is primarily a girl's name.

When was Hira most popular?

Hira reached its peak popularity in 1999 with 35 births that year. It is currently ranked #4223 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Hira?

Hira is currently ranked #4223 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 656 babies since 1984.

Explore More

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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1984–2024