girl's name
Lyra
LY-ra
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 16,365
the United States
#435
2025 births
Lyra is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "lyre," the stringed instrument of classical antiquity. It is the name of a northern constellation, and its modern popularity comes almost entirely from Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.
- Lyra is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in US records in 2025, when 711 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 820 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1893.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Lyra over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1890s to 2020s. Lyra is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 10 |
| 1910s | 31 |
| 1920s | 43 |
| 1930s | 11 |
| 1940s | 20 |
| 1950s | 19 |
| 1960s | 39 |
| 1970s | 108 |
| 1980s | 114 |
| 1990s | 87 |
| 2000s | 760 |
| 2010s | 3,038 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,815 |
What Lyra means
Lyra means lyre — the small harp played in ancient Greece. The name carries a musical association rather than describing a quality, which puts it with Aria, Cadence and Harmony rather than with meaning-names.
Where Lyra comes from
Lyra is the Latin form of the Greek lyra, the stringed instrument that gives us lyric — poetry originally sung to it. The constellation Lyra represents the lyre of Orpheus, whose playing was said to move stones and stop rivers; after his death the instrument was placed among the stars. Its brightest star, Vega, is one of the most luminous in the northern sky. The name's current use owes most to Lyra Belacqua, the heroine of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights in 1995 and of the trilogy and television adaptations that followed.
Lyra in use
Our data shows Lyra peaking in 2025 — still climbing — at 70 in England and Wales against 435 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1893, so the name existed long before Pullman; what he supplied was the reason anyone now chooses it.
How popular is Lyra?
In 2025, Lyra was given to 643 babies in England and Wales, ranking #70 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Lyra is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Lyra
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Lyra also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Lyra over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Lyra
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Lyra in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Lyra
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Lyra — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Lyra
What does the name Lyra mean?
Lyra means "lyre," the stringed instrument of ancient Greece, and is also a northern constellation.
Is Lyra from His Dark Materials?
Philip Pullman's 1995 novel is why the name is used today, but our records show it in birth data from 1893.
What is the Lyra constellation?
A northern constellation representing the lyre of Orpheus. Its brightest star, Vega, is among the most luminous in the northern sky.
How popular is the name Lyra?
In 2025, Lyra was given to 643 babies in England and Wales, ranking #70 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Lyra a girl's or a boy's name?
Lyra is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Lyra?
Lyra has 2 syllables.
When was Lyra most popular?
Lyra peaked in 2025, when 711 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Lyra?
Lyra is usually shortened to Ly.
Is Lyra a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Lyra currently ranks #70 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.