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!

Because Morna sounds like mourner in your accent? It doesn't in mine - it's a celtic name, I know a few Scottish Mornas and one Irish one. Maybe doesn't work in south England though.

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.

i've not tried it but I am pretty sure that if you typed "Myra" into Google the first thing to show would be an account of Hindley's crimes. I was very young when it all happened and knew nothing about it at the time but there have been books, documentaries and dramas about the horrific killings. like the Whitechapel murders, Peter Sutcliffe, Fred and Rose West, Harold Shipman, there are some cases so horrific they are embedded into history . Given that it is such an unusual name it was easy for it to become tainted by association

We're not one sided, we're just fully aware of a horrible and prolific killer. Definitely go with a different name.

Mila?

Oh, I was going to say yes 🤣. I’m clearly in the minority though so ignore me x

No, definitely not.

If you really can’t use Lyra (although a close friend using it recently shouldn’t stop you) I’d call her Maria. Sounds similar to Myra, not difficult or unusual but not common either.

In fact I’d go a step further and call her Mary, but maybe fashion isn’t ready for that yet, although its an anagram of Myra so if you’re really attached to that name it could be your little secret.

No.

I wouldn't saddle my child with a distinctive name with such an awful history.
The only equivalent I can think of is Adolf.

Maybe Myra was the name of a beloved grandmother? The thing is, people make names their own. I also know a Myra in her 50s, and I don't immediately think of Hindley when she's mentioned.

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.

Of course you can't. It'd be better to call a kid Fanny Chmelar than Myra.

Absolutely not, poor child.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Oh sure.

And Adolf for a boy.

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!

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

how about Mila?