Myra
Meaning of Myra
Myra is a compact, two-syllable coinage that first surfaced in seventeenth-century English poetry, likely as an anagrammatic play on Mary or as a nod to the Greek myron, “myrrh,” the aromatic resin offered by the Magi. Either derivation keeps the name anchored in biblical and classical soil while avoiding overt flourish. Pronounced MY-ruh, it sits cleanly on the tongue, an economy of sound that matches its historical pattern of steady—if unspectacular—use: U.S. birth data trace a gentle descent from Top-200 status in the late 19th century to a comfortable mid-500 berth today. Cultural footnotes are quietly distinguished: St. Nicholas was bishop of the ancient Lycian city of Myra; Dame Myra Hess’s lunchtime concerts buoyed wartime London; and Louisa May Alcott slipped the name into her lesser-known prose. Together they sketch a profile of understated endurance—recognizable, rarely over-shared, and subtly perfumed with tradition rather than trend.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as MY-ruh (/ˈmaɪrə/)
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Notable People Named Myra
| Myra Clark Gaines was an American socialite who fought a 57-year legal battle to secure her inheritance. |
| Myra Cohn Livingston was an American poet, writer, and educator celebrated for her free verse children's poetry. |
| Angeline Myra Keen, despite having a PhD in psychology and no formal training in biology or geology, became a world-renowned malacologist known as the "First Lady of Malacology." |
| Myra Albert Wiggins was an American painter and pictorial photographer in the early 20th century Photo-Secession movement. |
| Dame Julia Myra Hess was an English pianist celebrated for her interpretations of composers like Bach and Mozart and for organizing concerts in London during World War II. |
| Myra Orth was an American art historian who became a leading authority on renaissance manuscript illuminations while maintaining an international academic career between Europe and the United States. |
| Myra Taylor was an American jazz singer and songwriter who performed from her teenage years into her nineties. |
| Myra Ellen Roper was a British-born Australian educationalist, author, and China expert who served as principal of University Women's College at the University of Melbourne. |
| Myra Hiatt Kraft was an American philanthropist married to Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. |
| Myra Meadows, who goes by Myra Arai professionally, is a Canadian-Japanese actress and model. |
| Myra Estrin Levine was an American nurse celebrated for developing the Conservation Model of nursing. |
| Myra Strober - Myra H. Strober is a Stanford emerita professor who served as president of the International Association for Feminist Economics and sits on the editorial board of Feminist Economics. |
| Myra Nimmo is a Scottish academic at the University of Birmingham and a former long jumper who competed in the 1976 Olympics, held the Scottish record for 39 years, and served as Chair of England Athletics. |
| Myra Sajid is a Pakistani dramatist, playwright, and scriptwriter celebrated for his drama series "Neeli Chatri" addressing women's social issues and his collaborations with director Ahson Talish on works like "Numm." |
| Myra Wilson - Myra S. Wilson is a British computer scientist and senior lecturer at Aberystwyth University, focusing on robotics in her research and teaching. |
