Do you like.....

[KitKat1985]

The name Lyra? As in the character of the same name of the Philip Pullman 'Dark Materials' trilogy (for those who have read it)? I'm looking for a girls name which is feminine without being 'cutesy', and not overly common without being bizarre?

[Busymumto3dc]

Yes I love it

Also love Lila

[flavourflave]

I love it too!

[Smugfearnleyshittingstool]

Makes me think of Lyra pencils sorry

[flavourflave]

Lilac, Lara, Lotus, Lumi, Lorelai...

[ApplySomePressure]

Love it. I absolutely adore her character.

[flavourflave]

Lenora, Lydia

Clara, Cleo, Farah, Myla, Noula...?

[Busymumto3dc]

How about Nova? Or Nola?

I love both of those too!

[Nunyabiz]

I immediately thought 'Lycra' and then going on the sound I thought 'Liar'

How about Lyla? Layla? Leila?
Not my taste but I suppose we're all different

[BackforGood]

I've never heard it before clearly not well read, me and generally I don't like names I've not heard before, but, oddly, I do like that - it sounds like a name, IYSWIM, and sounds usable for an adult as well as a child or baby. Presumably won't give too many problems with spelling or pronunciation either.

[BananaHammocks]

I think I'm fairly indifferent too it, the only think I don't like is that I've seen it mentioned on baby naming threads a lot and is shooting up the popularity charts at alarming speed! names.darkgreener.com/#lyra

[DramaAlpaca]

I like it.

[KitKat1985]

Okay, some mixed views so far. I only ask as a lot of the names me and DH like are currently in the UK top 20, which isn't a problem per se, but I was trying to think of some options that weren't going to be so popular. DH said his first thought on hearing 'Lyra' was that it sounded like 'Lycra' and didn't like it (although it's grown on him), but other people have said they really like it. Tricky one. Thank you for all the replies so far. xx

[Aliceinvodkaland]

I would just think someone was calling her a liar and couldn't pronounce it!

[Montsti]

I like it. I know a little girl called this.

[BurdenedWithGloriousPurpose]

Love it.

[funnyoldonion]

Sophie Dahl named her daughter this, I love both the names and the books and Sophie for that matter, whoa I'm pretty loved up aren't I? X

[CheckpointCharlie]

It's lovely and fairly unique I would imagine.

[yesnoyesnoyesno]

I know a couple under 2

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I like it a lot

[BikeRunSki]

I like it. I know one, Who is about 3.

Isis?

[CPtart]

Too much like Lycra, my first thought too.

[Whenwillwe3meetagain]

My DH suggested it the other day and it's really growing on me. He doesn't like many girls names do was amazed he came up w this. I'm still thinking Cleo is my fave but I really like Lyra too.

[Ethiad]

It looks nice, but if it rhymes with Myra (as in Hindley) then I personally wouldn't use it.

[Whenwillwe3meetagain]

Ethiad will you rule out Rose (west) too and any other murderess name ie Anne or Amelia?
I think Lyra is different enough from Myra for people to not associate the name w her.

[florascotia]

Do not wish to offend, but you did ask. Am not really a fan of ANY name so closely related to a fashionable book/film/tv series. Philip Pullman = undoubtedly a force for good, but I don't like his novels.

Before Pullman, Lyra was the name of a constellation. Before that, the word meant harp or lyre.