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Home › Baby Names Directory › Moira

Moira

♀ Girl

Pronounced MOY-ruh /ˈmɔɪ.ɹə/Medium

Meaning: Fate, destinyMedium

In 30 seconds: Moira is an Irish girl's name meaning 'fate' or 'destiny'. It descends from the older Irish forms tied to Máire.
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Origin MediumIrish, English, Scottish
MeaningFate, destiny
U.S. rank (2025)#2047 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births93 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1963
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,940

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196319132025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Moira comes out of the Irish tradition, where it carries the weighty sense of fate or destiny. It is closely bound to Máire, the Irish form of Mary, and shows up in related spellings like Maura and the Scottish Mhairi. The name has a settled, traditional feel rather than a trendy one.

The two-syllable shape gives Moira a soft but grounded sound, and its many variants, Maura, Moyra, Muire, reflect how it traveled across Irish and Scottish usage. Actresses Moira Lister and Moira Kelly are among the women who have carried it.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Moira is 'fate, destiny', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Moira — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

MáireMauraMoyraMuireMhairi

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

  • ★Moira Lister (1923–2007)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Moira Kelly (1968–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Moira…

Maura— A listed variation that shares the same Irish source and sound.
Dara— another Irish name
Kiera— lands in the same popularity range
Kara— a similarly popular pick
Kira— echoes that soft -ra sound

Explore names like Moira

By themeirishscottish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Moira mean?

Moira is usually explained as meaning 'fate, destiny' and is most often linked with Irish tradition.

How do you pronounce Moira?

It's commonly said MOY-ruh /ˈmɔɪ.ɹə/.

Is Moira a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Moira is used as a girl name.

How popular is Moira?

In 2024, Moira ranked #1901 in the U.S. for girls, with 105 births recorded.

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