Harriet or Lyra?

[Stickyjellybean]

Quite torn between the two and would value some opinions. Have loved Lyra for ages but worried it sounds too a bit like Liar and don't want to give our child a name that is easily teasable. Recently thought of Harriet and quite like that now. I seem to come and go on other names but Lyra has stayed as a favourite but is it too unusual?
Other options have been Holly, Annabelle and Eloise but think they are off the list (at the moment - I keep changing my mind on them!). How on Earth do you decide?!

Hi They're all lovely names - I don't think you can go far wrong. I'd only say Harriet over Lyra as I've known a few Lyras lately. Also it's easier to shorten.

Thanks Elbi. I'm not sure what is holding me back from Lyra, maybe because I've never met any and the one person we sounded it on had never heard of it and didn't think it was a real name...

I prefer Harriet, but Lyra is pretty too! The main character in Northern Lights is called Lyra I think.

Lyra is so much prettier and more feminine!

Yeah that's where I got it from. It doesn't help that DH hated it to start with but now likes it 'enough'...

I prefer Harriet than Lyra, but both are nice.

I prefer Harriet.
Not a fan of Lyra.

Why not Harriet Lyra?

I really love Harriet, Etta , etty as nicknames 😊
To me lyra is a totally different sort of name, I'm not a fan sorry. Honestly, it makes me think of a name someone may choose to hide their real name, if they were working as a lap dancer !!

Love Harriet, dislike Lyra

I like both but prefer Harriet. I think it's really gorgeous.

I love Harriet. Lyra sounds like Lycra.

Thanks for all the opinions. I think that's what worries me about Lyra, it's quite divisive and people seem to either love it or think it's awful! I sometimes feel I should just go with what I (and DH) love best but then again it's not me who actually has to have the name my whole life and I don't want our daughter to hate it!
Motherduck, that made me laugh, I'd never thought of it as a lap dancers name! This is why anonymous opinions are good, we're not telling anyone in real life our options until baby is here and named!

Nooooo not Lyra sounds a child near us has that name and is nicknamed Lycra

I think Lyra is nice and a good name for a girl. If you're basing it on Lyra from the Pullman trilogy, she's a really great heroine. I think the Lyra/liar connection is deliberate in the books - Lyra Silvertongue, the storyteller, etc, if you want to put a positive spin on it.
I'm not keen on Harriet at all - it's just a bit of a meh name to me.

I love Lyra, it has tons of substance to me because the book character was so wonderful.

Just had a convo with DH and Lyra is now his favourite just as I'm wavering on it!

Hi Sticky, I have a Harriet, I think it's a beautiful name, but be brave, go with Lyra, it's fabby !
She will love being called such a super name, when she's a teenager !
Go for it, for sure. 😄
How about Lyra Harriet ?

I prefer Lyra. What about Lyra Harriet ? :)

I'm sorry but in my opinion lyra is too close to lycra. I love Harriet.

I don't like either...

I'd probably choose Harriet and then call her Hattie because I like Hattie.

I don't like Lyra. As someone else said, it reminds me of lycra. I do like Lila though (you could spell it Lyla like the Oasis song).

I prefer much Lyra too

Harriet is a classic whereas Lyra is very 'now' and will probably date.

Both are lovely names, but with quite a different feel.

I prefer Harriet. How about Cyra?