Myra?

[theinterest]

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

That was a fictional name though.

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

I'm of an age where the name Myra only conjures up one person.

Absolutely not sorry. Mara or Nova perhaps

Absolutely not, sorry as it is a pretty name but for the connotation it conjures up it’s got to be a no.

as others have said it’s one of those names you just cannot use.

What about Meera/Mira?

My nieces are 17 and 23 and I asked what was the first thing they thought when I said Myra they both without hesitation said Hindley and that’s because there was a recent drama

Not Nova, that was that music festival where those young people were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas.

Some good alternatives here, OP.
Lara, Mara, Maura, Maya, Mila....etc

I’d divorce my husband before I agreed to call my kid Myra.

You don't think of Peter Tobin because there 1000s of other Peters.

Fifties, really? I’m 59, I went to an all girls’ school and have never known anyone around my age called Myra, we were a generation of Karen, Joanne, Debra and Susans.

I did know a Myra though, she was my mums hairdresser and of the same generation as mum, who’s in her 80s, which would be what Hindley would be if still alive.

How about Marie?

I actually thought this was going to be about Myra Hindley when I saw thd name. Sorry!

I wasn’t around in the 30s or 40s but I wouldn’t call my child Adolf! The Moors Murders and their perpetrators are infamous and while there are millions of Ian’s, Myra isn’t common enough to not have people immediately think of ‘the’ Myra.

Unfortunately, I also thought of Hindley immediately. So, I agree with many of the other Mumsnetters here, please don't name your dear daughter the same name as Hindley's.