Girl · #645 in 2026

Myra

The name Myra was created by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville 1st Barone Brooke (1554–1628). Its origins are unknown, though some speculate the created name is an anagram of the name Mary, a variant spelling of the Latin word myrrha, meaning myrrh, a fragrant resin obtained from a tree, or derived from the Latin mirari, meaning wonder, the same source from which William Shakespeare derived…

  • English
Current Rank
#645
Peak Rank
#156 (1958)
Total Babies
64K
5-Yr Trend
-15%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1958
Peak Year
#156
Peak Rank
64K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Myra

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

The name Myra was created by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville 1st Barone Brooke (1554–1628). Its origins are unknown, though some speculate the created name is an anagram of the name Mary, a variant spelling of the Latin word myrrha, meaning myrrh, a fragrant resin obtained from a tree, or derived from the Latin mirari, meaning wonder, the same source from which William Shakespeare derived…

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
Origin & history
English meaning of the name Myra for a girl: poetic invention Greek meaning of the name Myra for a girl: myrrh , an aromatic shrub. Myra is associated with the same "myrrh" that, according to Matthew , was brought as a gift to the infant Jesus by the Magi , along with gold and frankincense . Latin meaning of the name Myra for a girl: variation of Miranda, admirable, extraordinary Arabic meaning of the name Myra for a girl : Aristocratic Lady Hebrew meaning of the name Myra for a girl : Seadew Biblical meaning of the name Myra for a girl : I flow, pour out, weep Sanskrit meaning of the name Myr

The Story of Myra

The earliest SSA record of Myra as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 83 babies received it. 1958 was its biggest year on record, with 1,287 newborns named Myra — #237 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Myra ranks #645 for baby girls with 457 births, falling sharply (-15%). All told, over 64K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to 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 Myra

Phonetically similar names — useful when Myra 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 Myra

What does the name Myra mean?
The name Myra was created by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville 1st Barone Brooke (1554–1628). Its origins are unknown, though some speculate the created name is an anagram of the name Mary, a variant spelling of the Latin word myrrha, meaning myrrh, a fragrant resin obtained from a tree, or derived from the Latin mirari, meaning wonder, the same source from which William Shakespeare derived…
What is the origin of the name Myra?
Myra has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Myra in 2026?
In 2026, Myra ranks #645 among girls' names in the U.S., with 457 babies given the name that year.
When was Myra most popular?
Myra reached its peak popularity in 1958, ranking #156 that year with 1,287 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Myra most popular?
Myra has historically been most popular in Alabama, Hawaii, South Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Myra.
Is Myra a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Myra is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Myra?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Myra include Alaina, Blakely, Lila. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Alaina
Peak #156
👧
Blakely
Peak #156
👧
Lila
Peak #155
👧
Marcella
Peak #155
👧
Imogene
Peak #157
👧
Arabella
Peak #157
👧
Adrianna
Peak #155
👧
Paris
Peak #157

About the name Myra

Myra is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 64K births in the dataset. Myra's peak popularity came in 1958 when it ranked #156. Use the chart and map above to compare Myra'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.