Myrlie

An off-beat vintage choice with an inspiring namesake, Myrlie blends the sounds of Millie, Myrtle, Pearl, and Ellie. Rarely used as a given name – as yet – Myrlie is most likely a diminutive of the name Merle, meaning "blackbird", or a variation of the botanical name Myrtle.

Myrlie is best associated with the activist and writer Myrlie Evers-Williams, who spent thirty years seeking justice for the murder of her husband, Medgar Evers. She has also published a number of books of civil rights and was chairwoman for the NAACP. Evers-Williams was named for her aunt, also called Myrlie.

Pronounced MER-lee.