Kayra
Primarily a girl's name with 799 recorded births. Also given to 35 boys.
Meaning & Origin
a male given name
Kayra is a girl's and boy's baby name of Turkish origin, meaning 'grace' or 'kindness' — from the Turkish kayra suggesting divine favor and benevolent protection. It is also connected to the concept of good fortune bestowed by the divine.
Grace names carry a universal warmth: the idea that a child is both graceful in her movements and graced — favored, blessed, looked after. Kayra expresses this in Turkish, bringing Anatolian warmth to a name that works beautifully across cultural contexts with its breezy, two-syllable rhythm.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Kayra's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Kayra follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Kayra's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Kayra climbed 2185 spots in the last 20 years — from #6098 to #3913.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 168 | #4336 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 222 | #6089 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 282 | #5028 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 117 | #7761 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 5 | #13375 | — |
| 1970s | 5 | #10341 | — |
The Story of Kayra
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2023, Kayra is a fresh, modern favorite. Girls named Kayra are most likely born between 2013 and 2024.
How rare is Kayra?
Only about 1 in every 94,737 babies born in 2024 was named Kayra — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1977, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2000s with 282 births that decade, and remains solidly popular today.
Kayra by the numbers
- Would fill 17 school buses
- Meeting one Kayra per day would take 2.2 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(37 years, 1977–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 38 | #3913 |
| 2023 | 45 | #3495 |
| 2022 | 32 | #4412 |
| 2021 | 25 | #5163 |
| 2020 | 28 | #4698 |
| 2019 | 21 | #5889 |
| 2018 | 31 | #4510 |
| 2017 | 26 | #5121 |
| 2016 | 25 | #5377 |
| 2015 | 26 | #5215 |
| 2014 | 16 | #7481 |
| 2013 | 26 | #5218 |
| 2012 | 19 | #6732 |
| 2011 | 15 | #7990 |
| 2010 | 17 | #7360 |
| 2009 | 37 | #4145 |
| 2008 | 42 | #3816 |
| 2007 | 43 | #3749 |
| 2006 | 29 | #4886 |
| 2005 | 29 | #4641 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Kayra as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Kayra has also been given to 35 boys in the U.S. since 2007.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kayra a boy's or girl's name?
When was Kayra most popular?
How popular is the name Kayra?
Can Kayra be used for both boys and girls?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1977–2024