Nakira
Meaning of Nakira
The feminine given name Nakira, pronounced nuh-KEER-uh (/nəˈkɪrə/), derives from an etymology that remains subject to scholarly debate, with possible roots in both Arabic and West African linguistic traditions. In Arabic, the root naqara conveys notions of purity and clarity, while in Igbo the elements na and kìrà collectively suggest “gift of knowledge.” Phonetically transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /nəˈkɪrə/, the name features an unstressed initial schwa syllable, a stressed medial near-close front vowel, and a terminal schwa. Introduced to Anglo-American usage in the late twentieth century, it has appeared sporadically within the United States Social Security Administration’s annual top 1000 female names, achieving its zenith at rank 799 in 1982 and consistently registering fewer than forty occurrences per annum, thereby distinguishing it as a name of reserved distinction.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as nuh-KEER-uh (/nəˈkɪrə/)
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