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HelpRe: Names I'm contemplating (inc. Myra in the UK)
in reply to a message by Ottilie
I really love all the boy combos, especially the Caspian one, it's fantastic.
As for Myra, I'm fully aware of who Hindley was, and her horrific crimes. My late mom was British, I've spent a lot of time in the country, and I have seen on occasion how people react to the mere mention of her name.
I think two things contributed to the fact the name Myra became so taboo in the UK.
Firstly, the name Myra is more distinctive than Ian, and many people wouldn't have known another one. I remember my aunt saying something like, "everyone knew at least one Ian, someone they could associate the name Ian with, yet very few would have known another Myra."
In many ways, this made her name eponymous, you didn't need to use her surname you just simply had to say "Myra". In fact, wasn't there a book or TV show in the last few years, that was simply named 'Myra'. Nothing else was needed. Everyone knew who it was.
Secondly, putting aside the fact Ian was a common name and Myra wasn't, there's the fact that Hindley was a woman. The very fact a woman could do that to children, when women were (and usually still are) seen as the nurturers of children, shocked the country to the core and from what I've heard and read about the case, I don't think that's ever gone away.
I do think the name Myra's time will come again but I don't think it's right now or in the immediate future.
For a start, Ian Brady is still alive, and while he's still alive the case is still alive. He will die at some point, I would say most likely very soon, give all the health stories about him in the last year or two. When that happens, it will all be in the media again, which means Myra will be in the news again.
Then on top of that, and I would say more importantly, I know the family of Keith Bennett (the only victim of Brady and Hindley whose remains have never been found) are still campaigning/petitioning for a new search for his remains. I've seen it in the media and online several times. That's something that could still potentially keep Hindley's name in the public psyche and thus still render Myra taboo.
Of course, by the time you have children, things could be very different. Brady will likely be dead, and perhaps KB's remains will have been found, that kind of thing. Therefore it's difficult to give a definite "yes" or "no" answer to the question about Myra's usability for you.
As I just said, right now it's out, so if you were saying "I'm having a baby girl next week, and I want to call her Myra, and I live in the UK," I'd be screaming "noooooooooooooooo" at you!
***Words have meaning and names have power.***
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/110214
As for Myra, I'm fully aware of who Hindley was, and her horrific crimes. My late mom was British, I've spent a lot of time in the country, and I have seen on occasion how people react to the mere mention of her name.
I think two things contributed to the fact the name Myra became so taboo in the UK.
Firstly, the name Myra is more distinctive than Ian, and many people wouldn't have known another one. I remember my aunt saying something like, "everyone knew at least one Ian, someone they could associate the name Ian with, yet very few would have known another Myra."
In many ways, this made her name eponymous, you didn't need to use her surname you just simply had to say "Myra". In fact, wasn't there a book or TV show in the last few years, that was simply named 'Myra'. Nothing else was needed. Everyone knew who it was.
Secondly, putting aside the fact Ian was a common name and Myra wasn't, there's the fact that Hindley was a woman. The very fact a woman could do that to children, when women were (and usually still are) seen as the nurturers of children, shocked the country to the core and from what I've heard and read about the case, I don't think that's ever gone away.
I do think the name Myra's time will come again but I don't think it's right now or in the immediate future.
For a start, Ian Brady is still alive, and while he's still alive the case is still alive. He will die at some point, I would say most likely very soon, give all the health stories about him in the last year or two. When that happens, it will all be in the media again, which means Myra will be in the news again.
Then on top of that, and I would say more importantly, I know the family of Keith Bennett (the only victim of Brady and Hindley whose remains have never been found) are still campaigning/petitioning for a new search for his remains. I've seen it in the media and online several times. That's something that could still potentially keep Hindley's name in the public psyche and thus still render Myra taboo.
Of course, by the time you have children, things could be very different. Brady will likely be dead, and perhaps KB's remains will have been found, that kind of thing. Therefore it's difficult to give a definite "yes" or "no" answer to the question about Myra's usability for you.
As I just said, right now it's out, so if you were saying "I'm having a baby girl next week, and I want to call her Myra, and I live in the UK," I'd be screaming "noooooooooooooooo" at you!
***Words have meaning and names have power.***
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/110214
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Replies
Ah, my goodness, thank you for such a thoughtful answer! I guess Myra will just have to remain in the depths of my PNL, at least for now. :)
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In all my rambling on, I forgot to say, I actually think Myra is a rather lovely name.
It would be nice to see it "rescued" from simply being associated with that woman.
It would be nice to see it "rescued" from simply being associated with that woman.
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