Ira

About Ira

Ira has several independent histories. The Hebrew masculine name means “watchful” and is usually EYE-ruh in English. Russian feminine Ira is a short form of Irina, connected with the Greek meaning “peace,” and sounds approximately EE-ruh. Sanskrit irā supplies another tradition, with meanings including “earth” and “speech.”

The Hebrew name

Hebrew Ira appears in the Old Testament in connection with King David’s court. English Christians began using it after the Protestant Reformation, and Puritan settlers brought it to America in the seventeenth century.

This background explains the familiar American masculine name. Its two syllables begin with the vowel in “eye,” followed by an unstressed ruh. It is an independent biblical name rather than a shortening of Irving or another longer English name.

Irina and the Sanskrit tradition

In Russian, Ira shortens Irina. Irina belongs to the Irene family, from Greek Eirene, “peace.” The shared spelling therefore conceals a different origin and pronunciation from Hebrew Ira.

Sanskrit irā, written इरा, has a range of meanings that includes earth, speech, water, and refreshment. It is also a name associated with Sarasvati, the goddess of speech. This is another separate linguistic background, rather than an extension of the Hebrew or Russian forms.

The Hebrew masculine name and Russian nickname both have two syllables, but their opening vowels differ: EYE-ruh in English and EE-ruh in Russian.

Ira Gershwin and musical theater

Lyricist Ira Gershwin collaborated with his brother George on Of Thee I Sing, which opened in New York on December 26, 1931. George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind wrote the book, with Kaufman also directing.

The musical satirizes presidential politics. Candidate John P. Wintergreen campaigns on a platform of love, promising to marry the winner of a beauty contest. His plan unravels when he falls for the pageant coordinator, Mary Turner, instead.

The resulting conflict turns a romantic choice into a political crisis, with public promises and private feelings colliding. The show’s comic treatment of campaigning and governing made it a distinctive entry in American musical theater.

In 1932, Of Thee I Sing became the first musical to receive the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The named recipients were Kaufman, Ryskind, and Ira Gershwin. That award gives Ira a clear connection with the history of writing for the musical stage.

American popularity

Ira ranked #57 for American boys in 1881, its strongest position in the local series. Its largest annual count was 884 in 1947. By 2025 it ranked #822, with 301 boys.

The spelling was also given to 222 girls in 2025. That contemporary use sits alongside several feminine naming traditions, while the older American masculine record reflects the long-established biblical name.

How popular is Ira?

In 2025, Ira ranked #822 among boys in the United States, with 301 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for boys in 1880; its largest annual count was 884 in 1947. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.