Moira is a girl name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Moira means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Moira across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Moira has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Moira is a girl name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “star of the sea or bitter”. An anglicized form of Maire, the Irish form of Mary.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 7,941 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 105 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 312 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 3 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 399 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Moira per year, United States (1913 to 2025). United States peaked in 1963 (144/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (45/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1971 (21/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2025 (10/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2022 (3/yr).
Moira is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1963, when it ranked #1,498 nationally (given to 144 babies that year).
Mayra · Myra · Murray · Mira · Maura · Mireya · Moriah · Mara
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