Ira

Ira is a gender-neutral name of Hebrew, Greek, and Indian origin. As a masculine name, Ira translates to “watchful” and is borne by King David’s priest. This meaning can inspire your kiddo to be vigilant as they go through life. Additionally, the name Ira also has roots in Sanskrit, where it holds several meanings, including "the earth," "water," "speech," and "wind." Ira refers to the goddess of speech, Sarasvatī, encouraging your child to speak from their heart. As a feminine Russian name, Ira comes from the Greek Irene, where it means " peace." Ira also has its place in Polynesian mythology, where it's borne by an ancestor of the Ngāti-ira tribe, son of Ue-nuku, and descendant of the war god Tū-mata-uenga. With so many beautiful definitions attached to this short and sweet moniker, you'll no doubt watch in awe as your little one grows up to be who they are destined to be.

Fun Facts About the Name Ira

• A Gilded Age staple: Ira's soft vowel sounds and short spelling perfectly align it with modern naming trends, but it was extremely popular during the Gilded Age of northern America. From 1880 to 1895, Ira comfortably sat in the Top 100 boy names and was in the Top 1000 girl names until 1945.
• An often overlooked founding father: The younger brother of Ethan Allen, Ira Allen was a founding father of the Republic of Vermont, co-designed the Great Seal of Vermont and donated the land to establish the University of Vermont. Despite his monumental impact on New England history, the name Ira never quite reached the presidential prestige level of its contemporaries.
• One of the shortest names in Hebrew: Unlike many short modern names that are abbreviations or diminutives (like Leo for Leonard or Sam for Samuel), Ira is a complete, unshortened root name in classical Hebrew.