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!

No registrar should agree to it imo.
And no parent should want a dd saddled with it either....

Mid 30s here and I immediately thought of it.

It’s like saying Adolf is a goer because it’s before our time and Germany isn’t local.

Just don’t OP.

Horrific associations.

Honestly I assumed this was a thread about Hindly just from seeing Myra.

Have you considered Mira (Mee-ra)?

Back to the drawing board!

It’s a shame OP, it’s a pretty name but this name fell out of fashion for very good reasons. One of my lovely colleagues was considering it for her baby, she’d moved here from Pakistan where its still a common enough name & had no prior knowledge of the moors murders, but swiftly changed her mind after a google search when we tactfully said while it’s a lovely name it does have a horrid association. I think you want to set your little girl up with the best opportunity in life, not to have people recoil in confusion about what were you thinking, when she’s introduced

Myra was within the top 400 girls names in England and Wales last year

I see you are going to rethink @theinterest and I think that’s a good idea. I immediately thought Hindley, sorry. I am old though. I just asked DD (mid-20s) what she thought of when I said the name and she looked blank and said it meant nothing to her, which is interesting.

So maybe the case is dying out of consciousness. But I think it will be a while before the name is usable. DD and I agreed that Adolf is still and probs always will be unusable, but Joseph, for example, is fine (despite Stalin being a mass murderer) as it is a common name with many other associations.

It's Hindley to me, sorry. I'm 49.

Unfortunately, Myra Hindley is the first thing I think of when I hear the name. I wasn't born at the time her and Ian Brady committed their crimes, but I've read enough about them. It's possible the younger generation may not know the association with the name. However, it's not one I'd choose.

Yes, she’s 55. Are you suggesting I’m making it up?

I am on the fence. I had a great auntie Myra who pre-dated the murder by the woman of the same name. This is the first time I've ever linked the two in my head to be honest. Away from that awful connotation I think it is a really pretty old fashioned name. For your DD's generation it won't be a thing and anyone in her circle is going to associate Myra with her and her alone. I feel like the name needs to be reclaimed but at the same time it's still an awful association to have. My DD has a fairly unusual name - not out there just not in common usage. She used to love hearing about other people with her same name as she didn't know anyone in real life. It would be sad that the only person you know with your name was a murder.

I have to admit, just seeing the name on its own I didn’t make the connection. If it had been out with a different surname I don’t think I would have probably thought too much about it. It is a nice name but I agree if the opinion on here is such that 99% people might raise an eyebrow, probably best to avoid.

Well 114 people thought it was fine last year so I really do think it's well on the way to being disassociated with that particular Myra. Unlike Adolf.

I’m not into crime type media either, but I know who Myra Hindley is! And it was my first thought when I saw the name of the post. You can’t call your new beautiful baby girl Myra!

How about Maya, Mara, Moira - anything is better than Myra?!

Good God, don't do it.

What about Mara (like the little girl Mara Wilson who played Matilda in the first film?)

I wouldn't OP
I have a family member named Myra (and I do think its a pretty name), born in the 1950s, who hated saying her name to people after the murders were known to Police and Public
I do like some of the suggestions though such as Myla, Tyla/Tyler

I love the name Mara. I'm too old for kids now but I'd have named a baby girl Mara after the actress in that film.

Whatever.

but when I hear a birthdate in the '90's it takes me back to being an adult & babies being born. It seems unbelievable they're in their 30's now and they're certainly not
old bags'

I never suggested anything of the kind, but given Myra was arrested in 1965, I find it bizarre that anyone would give their daughter a name a murders name just a few years after the murders when it was already an old ladies name.

each to their own.

Which is exactly what I meant in my post, so I can do without the “Really??”

I know someone with a son called Harold and would we call a boy Fred or a girl Rose? Odd that Myra triggers the response on here.

This nails it. Nk OP. Think about your child