Meara as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Meara

What is the meaning of the name Meara ?

The baby name Meara is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced MEER-ə (MEE-ruh) — /ˈmɪərə/,MAIR-ə (MARE-uh) — /ˈmɛərə/.

Meara is Irish in Origin.

Meara is an Irish given name adopted from the surname O’Meara, Anglicized from Gaelic Ó Meadhra (“descendant of Meadhra”). The root meadhair denotes “mirth, joy,” yielding meanings like “merry,” “lively,” or “spirited.” Contemporary pronunciations vary (MEER-uh or MAIR-uh).

The surname O’Meara is historically associated with Munster (Thomond) and a notable hereditary medical family, and it appears across the Irish diaspora, e.g., comedian Anne Meara. As a first name, Meara gained currency in the late twentieth century and today reads modern yet traditional, aligning with Irish-heritage and vowel-rich choices like Keira or Mira. Variants and related forms include the surnames O’Meara and O’Mara; feminine given-name spellings are typically Meara, occasionally Mearah. Not to be confused with Mira (Latin/Slavic) or Meera (Sanskrit), which are etymologically distinct.