![]() Mädchen mit Lyra (Girl with Lyre) by Leopold Schmutzler | |
Pronunciation | LYE-ruh |
---|---|
Gender | female |
Language(s) | English |
Origin | |
Word/name | Greek, Latin |
Meaning | lyre |
Lyra is a feminine given name of Greek and Latin origin meaning lyre . [1] It is usually given in reference to the constellation and the Greek myth that inspired its naming. [2] The name has associations with music and harmony and the night sky. The name has recently increased in usage due to a character in His Dark Materials , a book trilogy by Philip Pullman, and the television show and film adapted from the books. [3] [4] [5] [6]
The name has been among the one thousand most used names for newborn girls in the United States since 2015 and among the five hundred most used names for American newborn girls since 2021. [7] The name has ranked among the top five hundred most used names for newborn girls in England and Wales since 2009 and among the top one hundred names since 2020. [8] Usage of the name was first recorded in Ireland in 2009, when three Irish girls were called Lyra. The name was among the top three hundred names for girls in Ireland in 2021, when nineteen newborn Irish girls were given the name. [9]