Lyra
LEYE-ruh
Lyra comes from the Latin and Greek lyra, the stringed instrument associated with Apollo and the Muses.
In astronomy it is the name of the constellation containing Vega, the fifth brightest star in the night sky. The name carries connotations of music, poetry, and the heavens.
The name remained virtually unused as a given name through most of the 20th century.
What the name Lyra means
It began its modern rise in the 2010s, driven by the popularity of the character Lyra Belacqua in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy (1995-2000) and its BBC/HBO adaptation (2019-2022).
Lyra reached its all-time SSA peak at No. 482 in 2023 with 638 births and holds the same rank in 2024. It continues to climb.
Philip Pullman’s protagonist Lyra Belacqua is the definitive modern bearer — a brave, curious, independent girl whose name carries all the mythological weight of the lyre and the stars.
Two syllables — LY-rah — with stress on the first beat. The name is light and melodic, fitting for a name connected to music and astronomy.
Parents drawn to Lyra often want a name that is genuinely rare, has real mythological depth, and carries a literary association they admire.
Variants include Lira, a monetary unit name used in some cultures, and the longer Lyrata. Lyra itself is the standard form in both classical and modern usage.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Lyra
Lyra - similar names
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