Mahira

Meaning of Mahira

Mahira, phonetically realized as mah-HEE-rah /mɑːˈhɪrə/, is an Arabic feminine given name whose semantic nucleus—derived from the triliteral root ḥ-y-r—connotes “skillful,” “ingenious,” or “expert,” thereby embedding in a single vocable the cultural valuation of intellectual and artisanal competence that classical Arab society held in high esteem; in the transnational onomastic landscape, the name has traversed linguistic and geographic boundaries through diasporic movement and global media, finding particular contemporary resonance among Anglo-American parents who seek an appellation that signals cosmopolitan awareness while retaining a succinct, mellifluous cadence. Though its statistical footprint within the United States remains modest—its annual occurrences hovering in the low double digits and its rank fluctuating between the mid-800s and mid-900s since the mid-1990s—this very rarity confers a certain distinctiveness prized in modern naming practices that balance individuality against recognizability. Cultural associations extend beyond etymology to public figures such as Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, whose international presence in film and humanitarian advocacy has lent the name a quietly dignified visibility, reinforcing its connotations of intelligence, artistry, and poised self-assurance.