What Does the Name Kiara Mean? (2024)

Kiara is a name with two different meanings. In an interesting spin, the dual meanings of the name Kiara are complete opposites. Kiara means "light" or "clear" as a variation of the traditional Italian spelling of the name Chiara. Chiara is the Italian form of the name Clare or Clara. Kiara is also a variation of the Irish name Ciara, which means "dark" or "black." Ciara is the feminine form of the Irish name Ciar or Ciarán.

While it most widely recognized for its Italian and Irish meanings, Kiara is also a Hindi name with the same meaning as the Irish form. In Swahili, the name Kiara means "princess."

  • Origin: Kiara is a name of both Italian and Irish origins. It also has Hindi and Swahili origins.
  • Gender: Kiara is frequently used as a girl name, but it is considered a gender-neutral name within the Hindi religion. Kiar or Kieren is often used as a boy name with the same meaning an origin of the Irish variation.
  • Pronunciation: Kee-AR-uh or KEE-ra

Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

How Popular Is the Name Kiara?

The name Kiara has been on the charts since 1988 when it was considered a pretty rare name at position No. 820. The following year it made its record jump of 706 points up to position No. 114. This major increase in popularity is most likely related to the the singing duo Kiara who released their song This Time in 1988.

After 1999, the name Kiara declined slowly in popularity before experiencing another big jump a decade later. In 1997 it dwindled at position No. 238, its lowest since its first appearance on the charts, but then reached No. 172 the following year and hit its peak at position No. 78 the year after that, in 1999.

This surge is likely related to the release of the animated move The Lion King IIin 1998 whose protagonist was a princess lion cub named Kiara.

Kiara is currently on another slow decline in popularity. The Social Security Administration's most recent data places Kiara at position No. 308 as of 2020.

Name Variations

The late Latin name Clarus, whose feminine form is Chiara, is the root of many variations of the name Kiara. These variations are used in languages of Latin, Germanic, and Slavic origins.

Variations with the root name Chiara/Clare:

  • Chiara
  • Clara
  • Clare
  • Claire
  • Klara

Irish Variations of Kiara:

  • Keira
  • Kira

Similar Names

Names similar to Kiara include:

  • Carina
  • Clarette
  • Claribel
  • Clarinda
  • Keara
  • Kiarra
  • Kiera
  • Kierra
  • Kyra
  • Kysa
  • Sierra

Common Nicknames

Some possible nicknames for Kiara include:

  • Kiki
  • KK
  • Kia
  • Chiarina
  • Chiaretta

Suggested Sibling Names

Here are some ideas for sibling names that may work well with Kiara:

  • Anthony
  • Cecilia
  • Elisa
  • Lucas
  • Lila
  • Jack
  • Julia

Famous People Named Kiara

Here's a look at some famous celebrities and athelets with variations of the name Kiara.

Famous Kiaras

  • Kiara Advani,Indian actress who predominantly works inHindifilms
  • Kiara Brinkman, American writer known for her 2007 novel,Up High in the Trees
  • Kiara Kabukuru, American model known for her work with CoverGirl
  • Kiara Muhammed, American actress who started her career modeling for Reebok
  • Kiara Nowlin, Americangymnast, World Championpower tumblerand an internationally ranked cheerleader
  • Kiara Sasso, Brazilian actress and singer
  • Kiara Laetitia, Italian rock singer and entrepreneur
  • Kiara Young, Miss Tennessee 2015

Famous Chiaras

  • Santa Chiara/Saint Clare of Assisi, Follower of Saint Francis who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares
  • Chiara Zanni, Canadian actress and comedian
  • Chiara Mastroianni, French actress and singer
  • Chiara Caselli, Italian actress
  • Chiara Rosa, Italian shot putter
  • Chiara Scholl, American tennis player

Famous Ciaras

  • Saint Ciara, Irish nun who established a monastery at Kilkeary in the 7th century
  • Ciara Bravo, American actress
  • Ciara Sheehy, Irish Olympic sprinter

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:

  • Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names in the U.S.
  • 300 Popular Baby Names Ending in A, N, and Y
  • 100 Celtic Baby Names: Meanings and Origins

Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Social Security Administration.Get Ready for Baby: Popularity of a Name.

What Does the Name Kiara Mean? (1)

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What Does the Name Kiara Mean? (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of the name Kiara? ›

Kiara means "light" or "clear" as a variation of the traditional Italian spelling of the name Chiara. Chiara is the Italian form of the name Clare or Clara. Kiara is also a variation of the Irish name Ciara, which means "dark" or "black." Ciara is the feminine form of the Irish name Ciar or Ciarán.

What is a fun fact about the name Kiara? ›

In Italian, the name is considered a variant of the girl's name Chiara, meaning “bright” or “clear.” Kiara's Irish iteration is Ciara, deriving from the old Irish word Cíar translating to “dark.” An etymology like night and day is sure to appeal to night owls and early bird parents alike.

What is the meaning of the name Kaira? ›

Kaira - Peaceful; Unique; Lady. Gender: Girl.

What does the name Kayra mean? ›

Kayra - Peaceful; Unique; Lady. Gender: Girl. Numerology: 2.

Is Kiara a lucky name? ›

Girls named Kiara have good luck and are rich in intellectual abilities. Girls named Kiara like independence and do not make promises to everyone. If your name is Kiara then you can try your luck in the field of business. Girls named Kiara have the courage to make every task easy by working hard.

What is a nickname for Kiara? ›

Nicknames: Aura, Keke, Key, Kiki, Rah. Variations: Chiara, Ciara, Clara, Clare, Keara, Kearah, Kiarah, Klara. Namesakes: Namesakes for Kiara include Kiara Bisaro, Kiara Brinkman, Kiara Kabukuru, Kiara Muhammad, Kiara Sasso.

What is the personality of Kiara? ›

Despite her sometimes emotional nature, Kiara Advani is also known for her strength and resilience. She is not one to give up easily and is willing to fight for what she believes in.

What country name is Kiara? ›

Kira is one of several Anglicized forms of the Irish name Ciara, which in Irish means "dark haired". Kira also means "strong woman" in Slavonic. There is also a Japanese name, romanized as Kira, which is common in Japan, as both given name and family name (e.g. the Kira clan of Mikawa province).

Is Kaira a good name? ›

Kaira The meaning of the name is Peaceful, Unique, Lady. Having Peaceful, Unique, Lady is considered very good and this is also reflected in the people named Kaira.

What does Kaira mean in forest? ›

In Finnish, word “kaira” means wilderness or backwoods.

Is Kaira a rare name? ›

1 out of every 10,592 baby girls born in 2021 are named Kaira.

Is Kaira a male or female name? ›

Kaira - Baby girl name meaning, origin, and popularity | BabyCenter.

Is it Kaira or Kayra? ›

Kayra or Kaira (Old Turkic: 𐰴𐰖𐰺𐰀) is the creator god in Turkic mythology. He is the god who planted the tree of life called Ulukayın. Kayra is described as both father and mother, and resides in the 17th layer of heaven.

Does Kiara mean little dark one? ›

Origin of Kira

Feminine form of Kieran, an Anglicized form of the Irish Ciarán, which is derived from the Gaelic ciar (black) and the diminutive suffix -an: hence, "little dark one." The name was originally bestowed upon those babies born with dark hair or a dark complexion.

Is Kiara a Japanese name? ›

It may be a variant of the Italian name Chiara, meaning bright, or the Irish name Ciara, meaning dark-haired. In Japan, Kiara is an uncommon name typically given to males; its meaning is dependent upon the characters used to spell the name.

Does Kiara mean first ray of sun? ›

Kiara/Chiara: With Italian roots meaning “light” or “clear,” this cutie interestingly also means “first ray of sun” in Korean. No matter which spelling you choose, the pronunciation is the same.

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