Girl · #5,146 in 2026

Lyrae

Lyra is a small constellation. It is one of the 48 listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and is one of the modern 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Lyra was often represented on star maps as a vulture or an eagle carrying a lyre, and hence is sometimes referred to as Vultur Cadens or Aquila Cadens, respectively.

Current Rank
#5,146
Peak Rank
#3,159 (1962)
Total Babies
40
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1962
First Year
1968
Last Year
1962
Peak Year
#3159
Peak Rank
40
Total Count
4
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Lyrae

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Lyra is a small constellation. It is one of the 48 listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and is one of the modern 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Lyra was often represented on star maps as a vulture or an eagle carrying a lyre, and hence is sometimes referred to as Vultur Cadens or Aquila Cadens, respectively.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
Lyra can be seen on the right of this c. 1825 star map from Urania's Mirror . In Greek mythology , Lyra represents the lyre of Orpheus . Orpheus's music was said to be so great that even inanimate objects such as rocks could be charmed. Joining Jason and the Argonauts , his music was able to quell the voices of the dangerous Sirens , who sang tempting songs to the Argonauts. At one point, Orpheus married Eurydice , a nymph . While fleeing from an attack by Aristaeus , she stepped on a snake that bit her, killing her. To reclaim her, Orpheus entered the Underworld , where the music from his lyr

The Story of Lyrae

Lyrae first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1962, with 16 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1962, when 16 Lyraes were born — ranking #3,159 that year. As of 2026, Lyrae ranks #5,146 for baby girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 40 Lyraes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Lyrae

Phonetically similar names — useful when Lyrae is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lyrae

What does the name Lyrae mean?
Lyra is a small constellation. It is one of the 48 listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and is one of the modern 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Lyra was often represented on star maps as a vulture or an eagle carrying a lyre, and hence is sometimes referred to as Vultur Cadens or Aquila Cadens, respectively.
How popular is Lyrae in 2026?
In 2026, Lyrae ranks #5,146 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.
When was Lyrae most popular?
Lyrae reached its peak popularity in 1962, ranking #3,159 that year with 16 babies given the name.
Is Lyrae a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Lyrae is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Lyrae?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Lyrae include Elisebeth, Robbye, Avalene. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Elisebeth
Peak #3159
👧
Robbye
Peak #3159
👧
Avalene
Peak #3159
👧
Donalene
Peak #3159
👧
Joycelene
Peak #3159
👧
Darlee
Peak #3159
👧
Nancylou
Peak #3159
👧
Marylynne
Peak #3159

About the name Lyrae

Lyrae is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1962 and has accumulated 40 births in the dataset. Lyrae's peak popularity came in 1962 when it ranked #3,159. Use the chart and map above to compare Lyrae's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.