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Original poster

Myra?

312 replies

theinterest · 11/10/2025 14:24

My DH and I thought we were settled on the name Myra for our baby due later this year, but having been settled on this for several months I’m not sure how others will view it? Neither of us are into crime type media, early 30s, and live in the south of England so somehow managed to miss the connection to Myra Hindley until now. My DH is still completely set on it, but I worry now what others will think (blame the hormones). Lyra isn’t an option for us due to a close friends baby being called that earlier this year.

I’m really after view in what you all think? I love the name but now doubting if it’s the right thing to use!

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MaisieMacabe · 11/10/2025 17:34

Pedallleur · 11/10/2025 17:32

Madly I think of the Nazi Rudolf Hess there. He died a war criminal in Spandau prison

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Yes, I know! - that's my point! She had a very unfortunate surname and first name.
Shame for such a wonderful musician.

Figcherry · 11/10/2025 17:33

Paaseitjes · 11/10/2025 14:46

It's enough decades ago it's fine, and only relevant to English people. By the time the baby is an adult, the people who remember the news are going to be really old. If you live somewhere with a lot of immigrants, it's even more fine. No one doesn't use the name Jack because of the ripper

Edited

That was a fictional name though.

Comedycook · 11/10/2025 17:32

I think Myra would easily be top 20 name nowadays if it wasn't for Myra Hindley. I really really wouldn't use it op. There's many other similar sounding names that would be better.... Mia, Maya, Myla

PirateDays · 11/10/2025 17:32

Being from the south of England is not a reason to have not heard of Myra Hindley 🙈
Unfortunately it's a pretty rare name and is totally associated with someone completely notorious.

Pedallleur · 11/10/2025 17:32

MaisieMacabe · 11/10/2025 17:28

Dame Myra Hess is my favourite pianist, they still often play her recordings on Classic FM! I do think it's a most unfortunate name.
A wonderful musician, though.

Edited
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Madly I think of the Nazi Rudolf Hess there. He died a war criminal in Spandau prison

ToldYouTwiceAlready · 11/10/2025 17:30

The name Myra will always be associated with Hindley. Don't do it.

Pedallleur · 11/10/2025 17:30

People have forgotten that name now. Back in the 70s I was at school with a girl called Moira and had the surname. She was named before the killers came to notoriety. That must have been hard. If she reads this I sympathise with you.

FirstdatesFred · 11/10/2025 17:29

Even without the connections I just think Myra as a word doesn't sound very nice.

SleeplessIntheOnyxNight · 11/10/2025 17:29

I assumed this thread would be about Myra Hindley, she is so notorious OP I’m sorry but it is the first thing that people will think about.

Lottiesmummy25 · 11/10/2025 17:29

Mara is a really nice name still unusual and has a similar feel

MaisieMacabe · 11/10/2025 17:28

IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle · 11/10/2025 16:58

Myra Hess would have been very well known to anyone in the UK old enough to have lived through WWII.

I'm not old enough but I've always known who Myra Hess was because my mother had records by her and I attempted (and failed) to play her transcription of Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring.

Poor Dame Myra ; Hess on it's own must have been a burden.

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Dame Myra Hess is my favourite pianist, they still often play her recordings on Classic FM! I do think it's a most unfortunate name.
A wonderful musician, though.

BiggyJ · 11/10/2025 17:26

I got my DH to test it on his phone (so not connected to my device's algorithms) and he got as far as typing Myr and Myra Hindley was the first search, ahead of the plant Myrtle, then a pharma company, then myrrh.

Solidandstripes · 11/10/2025 17:26

how about Mila?

Dee51121 · 11/10/2025 17:24

There were 114 Myras born in England and Wales last year alone, so clearly quite a lot of parents aren't phased by the association or not familiar with it.

I rather like the name. I would go for it if you're keen and think you can put up with some people reacting with a raised eyebrow (or worse, based on this thread, although I wonder how many would speak their thoughts out loud).

Other 'yra' names from last year's data:
573 Lyras
373 Ayras
119 Amyras
104 Kyras
69 Amayras
50 Ayrahs
49 Nyras
30 Amyrahs
30 Mayras
25 Myrahs

ELMhouse · 11/10/2025 17:20

Yes defo back to the drawing board in this one @theinterest . How about Mara, Mia, Lyra - just not Myra!!

I opened the thread assuming that it would be about Myra Hindley. This is not a serial killer only known to people who are interested in true crime. This is one of, if not the biggest serial killer in UK history.

i find it a bit odd you didn’t have this association tbh!

PurpleChrayn · 11/10/2025 17:16

Oh sure.

And Adolf for a boy.

Solaire18381 · 11/10/2025 17:16

Myra, Rose, Lucy, Maxine. No. Certain criminals pop up when someone says any of those names.

Chocolateeggsarebetterthannormalchocolate · 11/10/2025 17:15

I'm mid 30's and immediately finished your title with 'Hindley', sorry.

Betteboop · 11/10/2025 17:15

Well no one else’s kid will be called the same 😬 Def not OP!

SpottyAardvark · 11/10/2025 17:14

This has got to be a wind-up. I simply refuse to believe that anyone would even consider calling a little girl Myra, in exactly the same way as I refuse to believe they would call her brother Adolf.

Westfacing · 11/10/2025 17:12

LotusFlower24 · 11/10/2025 17:07

I have an acquaintance named Mayra (sounds like Myra)I know the Hindley story but never once has that come to my mind when spending time with her! I also know a Peter but never once have I thought of Peter Tobin the murderer..only thinking of it now as trying to think of similar examples. There's always going to be someone in the world with same name or similar to that of a criminal.

Peter is such a common name that of course you wouldn't think of a murderer!

Very different from Myra - the vast majority of people no matter their age, would immediately think of Hindley, as this thread indicates.

steamingin · 11/10/2025 17:12

LotusFlower24 · 11/10/2025 17:07

I have an acquaintance named Mayra (sounds like Myra)I know the Hindley story but never once has that come to my mind when spending time with her! I also know a Peter but never once have I thought of Peter Tobin the murderer..only thinking of it now as trying to think of similar examples. There's always going to be someone in the world with same name or similar to that of a criminal.

Except there are a lot more Peters in the world (Peter Sutcliffe for one) or Freds or Teds or Roses than Myras. If you name a famous (or infamous) Myra it's likely that one springs to mind.

BedlingtonFloof · 11/10/2025 17:11

Algen · 11/10/2025 14:34

I think it’s a pretty name and personally wouldn’t immediately associate it with Myra Hindley (I’m more likely to think of the folk song). However, as seen from this thread a lot of people still have that association - I’d actually be interested to know the age range of people responding, as I really don’t know if it’s one of those names that would always be an issue or one of those names where her peers would have no clue. (I’m mid 40s, so Myra Hindley was really before my time and not local to me anyway, so perhaps not as much impact.)

I’m early 30s and it was very much my first thought. I don’t know anyone of any age (barring actual children) who wouldn’t have the same thought

LeatherJacketWedding · 11/10/2025 17:10

You should’ve done a poll really.
It’s an absolute no from me. I worked with a Myra (who would’ve been in her 50s) in the early noughties. She was a bit of a dragon and so people used to (inappropriately) say her name was very fitting. Lots of people also didn’t believe it was her actual name (the association to Hindley being so intrinsic) and so either presumed we’d given her an unkind nickname or were on the wind-up. When the role eventually required compulsory name badges (public facing), you can imagine some of the comments the poor woman had to endure not helped by her snooty attitude.
Please do not do this to your child.

Edited to say this was in the south of England and that yes, her name may have shaped her unfriendly personality.

Topjoe19 · 11/10/2025 17:09

Absolutely not, poor child.

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