Myra was invented by the English poet Fulke Greville around 1600, probably from the Latin myrra, "myrrh", the fragrant resin of the Christmas story, though it has also been read as an anagram of Mary. Today it is also used by Indian-American families, who like its closeness to Mira and Maira. In the United States Myra has been in the top 1000 since 2009, peaked at number 491 in 2018 and ranks 663 in 2025.