| Ciara | Keira | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | dark, black-haired | dark, black-haired |
| Origin | irish | irish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | KEER-ah | KEER-ah |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1972 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2005 (2,325) | 2006 (3,022) |
| In 2025 | 155 | 0 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ciara | Keira |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,089 | 3,391 |
| 2010s | 3,996 | 13,440 |
| 2000s | 12,046 | 14,520 |
| 1990s | 13,068 | 1,390 |
| 1980s | 4,445 | 637 |
| 1970s | 232 | 359 |
| 1960s | 0 | 99 |
Feminine form of the Irish name Ciar/Ciaran, from Old Irish 'ciar' meaning 'black, dark'. Traditionally understood as 'dark-haired' or 'dark complexioned' rather than anything sinister.
Anglicized spelling of the Irish Ciara, derived from Old Irish 'ciar' meaning 'black, dark'. Same root as Ciaran/Kieran; refers to dark hair or complexion.
Ciara is more popular than Keira today: about 155 US babies were given the name Ciara in 2025, compared with 0 named Keira.
Ciara means dark, black-haired (irish origin), while Keira means dark, black-haired (irish origin).
In US records, Ciara first appears in 1972 and Keira in 0, so Keira has the longer recorded history.