Here’s a mystery baby name for you: Nydra. It was a one-hit wonder in the U.S. baby name data in 1981, registering with 14 baby girls. Fourteen wasn’t quite high enough to boost Nydra onto the list of most popular one-hit wonder girl names, but it’s an impressive showing nonetheless.
- 1983: unlisted
- 1982: unlisted
- 1981: 14 baby girls named Nydra [debut]
- 1980: unlisted
- 1979: unlisted
My only guess so far has to do with an infant named Nydra Chi Vonne Pettaway, who was kidnapped from a hospital in Houston, Texas, a few days after she was born in April of 1981. She was recovered several days later (and her 18-year-old kidnapper was sentenced to 10 years probation). But I’ve only seen baby Nydra mentioned in one Texas newspaper so far, so I’m not sure if the news item was widespread/impactful enough to account for the name’s debut.
Do you have any clues/guesses?
P.S. Speaking of kidnapped babies, here’s the post on Chaneta.
Source: “Baby Thief Sentenced.” Port Arthur News 11 Oct. 1981: 14.