From Hebrew, Meira means “giving light” or “one who illuminates.”
Meira is a Hebrew name meaning "one who illuminates" or simply "light," derived from the root אוֹר (or). It is the feminine form of Meir, a name carried by several distinguished Talmudic sages, most notably Rabbi Meir, a second-century scholar whose brilliance was said to be so extraordinary that his contemporaries claimed his arguments were too lofty for ordinary minds to follow. The name sits at the intersection of luminosity and intellect within Jewish tradition — not merely physical light, but the light of wisdom and spirit.
Meira has been a cherished name in Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewish communities for centuries, used to honor ancestors while also expressing aspirations for a child who would bring brightness into the world. It gained notable cultural visibility through the political career of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir (born Goldie Mabovitch), whose life embodied a kind of historical illumination — though her name was the masculine form, the association has only deepened affection for its feminine counterpart. In contemporary usage, Meira has found a quiet renaissance among Jewish families globally who seek names that feel both deeply rooted and gracefully modern.
It sits alongside other Hebrew light-names — Ora, Ziva, Liora — yet possesses a particular warmth and softness. Its two syllables carry well across languages, and its spelling remains immediately intuitive. For parents drawn to names of substance and heritage, Meira offers a story stretching across two millennia.