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Lyra as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Lyra

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The baby name Lyra is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced LY-rah (IPA: /ˈlaɪ.rə/).

Lyra is Greek, Latin in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Greek, Latin
Pronunciation: LY-rah (IPA: /ˈlaɪ.rə/)

What is the meaning of the name Lyra ?

The baby name Lyra is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced LY-rah (IPA: /ˈlaɪ.rə/).

Lyra is Greek, Latin in Origin.

Lyra derives from Greek lyra (λύρα), the stringed instrument, and passed through Latin as a poetic and astronomical term. In classical lore, the constellation Lyra, home to the bright star Vega, represents the lyre associated with Orpheus and Apollo. The name therefore carries meanings of lyre, song, harmony, and artistic inspiration.

As a given name, Lyra appears sporadically in 19th century English records, then revived in the late 20th century and gained global recognition through Philip Pullman’s heroine Lyra Belacqua in His Dark Materials. It now sees steady use across the Anglophone world and Europe, appealing to lovers of music, myth, and stargazing. Variants and related forms include Lyrah (modern spelling), Lýra (Icelandic), and Lira (Italian/Spanish/Portuguese). Diminutives and nicknames include Ly, Lyrie, and Rae. Common pronunciations are LYE-ruh in English and LEE-rah in many Romance and Slavic languages.

Lyra has the following similar or variant Names

Lyra – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 874
BN 0 #31 2 2,297
CY 0 #60 1 1,632
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
PH 0 #104 7 5,607
BN Girls 0 #114 1 5,459
HU 0 #115 1 1,675
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
CY Girls 0 #124 2 3,755
Switzerland Girls 2024 #130 6 1,786
IQ 0 #133 1 3,533
Sweden Girls 2022 #170 10 1,568
SI Girls 0 #170 8 2,769
AE 0 #185 3 10,220
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
Canada Girls 2024 #219 67 2,795
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
MO Girls 0 #259 5 7,056
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
TW Girls 0 #285 5 8,139
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
QA Girls 0 #298 19 15,378
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
PH Girls 0 #319 73 13,098
PE 0 #328 2 6,350
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
CN Girls 0 #338 12 8,829
JO Girls 0 #338 2 7,570
France Girls 2021 #342 64 3,185
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
United States Girls 2024 #402 638 8,487
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
PH Boys 0 #407 2 11,440
OM Girls 0 #416 9 15,987
PT Girls 0 #468 4 7,952
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
KW Girls 0 #491 25 19,177
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
PA Girls 0 #515 4 9,861
RU Girls 0 #522 2 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #524 2 11,303
AE Girls 0 #529 25 20,968
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
HK Boys 0 #557 1 12,905
SG Girls 0 #558 29 18,916
CM Girls 0 #559 2 11,671
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
BH 0 #584 4 17,937
HK Girls 0 #597 19 16,104
IL Boys 0 #625 1 10,983
AR Girls 0 #629 2 8,289
BO Girls 0 #650 2 9,488
IN Girls 0 #651 4 13,121
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
Finland Girls 2026 #715 24 3,895
SG Boys 0 #739 1 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
NG Girls 0 #823 4 15,093
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
SA Girls 0 #887 49 25,931
CL Girls 0 #912 4 14,098
EG Boys 0 #925 1 15,035
BR Girls 0 #931 11 12,708
MY Girls 0 #962 33 24,821
Spain Girls 0 #974 10 5,561
NG Boys 0 #1,000 2 16,906
PE Girls 0 #1,008 3 14,861
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
ZA Girls 0 #1,125 17 25,928
AE Boys 0 #1,142 2 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,147 6 16,140
MX Girls 0 #1,174 10 17,781
MY Boys 0 #1,181 2 25,439
MA 0 #1,199 1 20,986
DZ 0 #1,227 8 20,130
TR 0 #1,254 1 19,440
ZA Boys 0 #1,272 1 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,427 20 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,689 3 28,008

Lyra is popular in 59 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Canada
Switzerland
Sweden
Scotland, United Kingdom

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People also ask about Lyra

Lyra is predominantly a girl's name.
Lyra is a 2 syllable name, pronounced LY-rah (IPA: /ˈlaɪ.rə/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Lira, Lyre, Lyris and Lyrica.
Yes, very popular — Lyra ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 9 countries.
Lyra ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Lyra's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.