This is a question that pops up quite often, believe it or not. ” What is the difference between “vampire” and “vampyre” and why are YOU a “vampYre?”” Well–here goes–and I don’t know how widely spread this answer is or if any other vampyres use the “y” for the same reason, but here is ours:
The word “vampire” has existed for decades, used in conjunction with the mythical killers of fiction. When someone uses “vampire” it usually means people like Anne Rice’s Lestat, or Stephenie Meyers’ Edward. They are the vampires with the special powers, the killer instincts, and inability to go into the sun. More importantly, they are entirely fictional and there is no equivalen to these characters in the real world.
Many modern day vampyres chose the different spelling to create a class of their own. As “vampyres” they were set apart from the fictional creatures and established as something quite separate. Vampyres are those which I’ve described many times before, the ones who need the energy of others to keep themselves both healthy and sane, but they are nothing like the vampires you’ll read about in horror stories or fairy tales.
In short, the changing from “i” to “y” mearly separates modern day vampyres from fictional vampires so that there is finally some distinction.