Myra
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "myrrh" or "precious anointing oil".
Name Census estimates that about 36,820 living Americans carry the first name Myra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Myra today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Myra births was 1958 (1,295 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Myra. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Although Myra is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 51 boys registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
37K
~ 1 in 9,309 Americans
Peak year
1958
1,295 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
1986 SSA rank
#646
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Myra
Out of the 63,534 babies given the name Myra since 1880, 99.9% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Myra as a male name
- Ranked #5,740 in 1986
- 7 male births in 1986
- Peak: 1958 (8 births)
Myra as a female name
- Ranked #646 in 2024
- 453 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1958 (1,287 births)
Popularity
Myra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Myra from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 10,391 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Myra by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Myra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Myras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 50 states and territories. New York, Texas, California recorded the most babies named Myra, while Wyoming, New Hampshire, Rhode Island recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 1,103 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Myra
The name Myra has its origins in the ancient Greek language and culture, dating back to around the 5th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "myron," which means "sweet-smelling oil" or "perfume." This name was likely given to children in hopes that they would grow up to be as sweet-smelling and pleasant as the fragrant oils of the time.
In ancient Greek mythology, Myra was the name of an Amazon warrior princess, known for her strength and bravery in battle. The name was also associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite, who was often depicted holding a myrrh plant, which was used to make fragrant oils and incense.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Myra can be found in the New Testament of the Bible. Myra was a city in ancient Lycia (modern-day Turkey), where the apostle Paul is said to have changed ships during his journey to Rome, as mentioned in the Book of Acts.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Myra. In the 4th century AD, Saint Myra was a Christian martyr who was killed for her faith during the persecution of Christians in ancient Rome. Another famous Myra was Myra Hindley (1942-2002), a British serial killer who, along with her partner Ian Brady, committed the infamous "Moors Murders" in the 1960s.
On a more positive note, Myra Hess (1890-1965) was a renowned British pianist and a champion of classical music during World War II. Her lunchtime concert series at the National Gallery in London provided solace and entertainment to many during the Blitz. Myra Breckinridge (1968) was also the title of a satirical novel by American writer Gore Vidal, which explored themes of gender identity and sexuality.
Another notable figure was Myra Bradwell (1831-1894), an American publisher and activist who fought for the rights of women to practice law in the United States. Despite being denied admission to the Illinois bar in 1869, her persistent efforts paved the way for future generations of women lawyers.
People
Myra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Myra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Myra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Myra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 36,820 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Myra going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 9,309 US residents.
Is Myra a common name?
We classify Myra as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 63,534 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Myra most popular?
The single biggest year for Myra was 1958, when 1,295 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Myra is about 49 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Myra a female name?
Yes, 99.9% of people registered as Myra in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.