Lira

LEER-uh; LEE-ruh

Variation of Lyra, Libra, Ilira, or Aliria, Greek, Albanian, Portuguese

"lyre; balance; free; joy"

Lira Origin and Meaning

The name Lira is a girl's name meaning "lyre; balance; free; joy".

A simple name with a multitude of possible origins, Lira may have its roots in the Greek names Lyra or Libra, relating to the musical instrument or to the zodiac sign, represented by the scales. As such, it may appeal to those who want the LEER-uh pronunciation over the LYE-ruh one.

Alternatively, it could be an Albanian choice, used as a nickname (or a standalone) for any names including the lir element, which means "free". As such, it could then be a form of Ilira (meaning "free" or "Illyrian"), Elira ("to be free") or Jetlira "life + free").

Other possibilities are that it comes from the Portuguese Aliria, likely a form of Spanish and Roman Hilaria meaning "joy", or from the Hebrew Liraz, Liran, or similar, meaning "my secret" and "my joy, my song".

Given to 20 girls in the US in 2024, it is a familiar but underused option.