Lyric has transitioned from 1990s newcomer to 21st century staple.
Our Baby Name of the Day was inspired by this list.
Table of Contents
WHAT DOES LYRIC MEAN?
We’ve all sung them.
Lyric originally referred to a poem, often recited to music. And that music? Most performers played a stringed instrument called a lyre, hence the Greek word lyrikos.
The French lyrique referred to a short poem, but in English, lyric referred to the words of popular songs by the late 1800s.
The musical reference makes it an obvious choice in our age of Aria and Cadence.
JASON’S LYRIC
A handful of children – boys and girls alike – received the name over the course of the twentieth century. Five boys born in 1928 were called Lyric. So were a dozen girls in 1976.
In 1993, the name was given to 16 girls. And then, in 1994? 44 births were recorded, followed by 344 in 1995.
Credit goes to Jason’s Lyric. The 1994 romance starred a young Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Set in 1990s Houston, the movie explored her romance with Jason. Tragedy strikes when Jason’s younger brother is involved in a botched bank robbery. In a Romeo and Juliet twist, Lyric’s brother is also involved in the failed heist.
Events go downhill from there, but unlike Shakespeare’s tale of star-crossed lovers, the ending stops short of tragedy.
The movie and the soundtrack were modestly successful. But even if you hadn’t seen the film, just hearing about it might boost the possibility of Lyric as a given name.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME LYRIC?
Following the huge spike in 1994, the baby name Lyric held steady for a few years. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 1995 at #633.
And then it started to climb.
What explains the increase?
This time, the rise of musical word names makes for the most likely explanation. In 1995, names like Aria and Cadence failed to crack the US Top 1000. By 2007, both of those names, along with Harmony and Melody, were gaining.
And by the year 2008, Lyric reached the Top 500.
If Lyric felt like an ahead-of-the-curve pick in the 1990s, by the early 2000s, it was exactly right.
The baby name Lyric peaked at #271 for girls in 2014. As of 2023, it had fallen again, to a still-familiar rank of #536.
IS LYRIC A UNISEX NAME?
From 2007 until 2020, the baby name Lyric ranks in the boys’ Top 1000, too. It peaked at #800 in 2013. As of 2023, 172 boys received the name.
Other spellings are possible. Actor Jeremy London named his son Lyrik. Rapper T-Pain spelled his son’s name Lyriq.
And, of course, Lyric’s hard-c ending is similar to recent favorites like Eric and Derek.
While it remains more common for girls, Lyric qualifies as a rock solid unisex option.
MODERN MUSICAL MAINSTAY
Speaking of solid, the baby name Lyric has become a modern musical mainstay. It’s been in steady use for a generation or more.
Grandparents might raise an eyebrow, but most people will find the baby name Lyric just slightly different.
Tailored, modern, and musical, Lyric is a stand-out choice for a daughter or a son.
What do you think of Lyric? Do you like it better for a boy or a girl?
First published on September 6, 2017, this post was revised on September 13, 2024.
