Layla- What do you think?

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

I have a feeling this next baby is goingto be a girl. I already have an Ollie and I think the names go nicely together.

If I happen to have another boy though, what do you think of Alexander? We would call him Xander for short. Is that a bit poncy?

[missnevermind]

I have a lovely friend called Layla - Very nice name.

DS2 is Xander - That is his full name.

[comtessa]

Both sound lovely - just be aware of how alliterative Ollie and Layla are. I knew a Xander/Zander, and thought it was a sweet name for a boy. He can always be Alex when he's older if he wants.

[comtessa]

PS not saying alliterative as a bad thing, just that sometimes people don't say names out loud! V.nice though.

[going]

Like Xander, don't like Layla at all.

[seeker]

Daft. You're naming a woman - she is going to be 15, 40, 70 and 90 - not just a baby and a toddler.

Alexander is good - Xander is also good, but remember he will choose his won shortening very soon, and may well choose a different one. If that will upset you, then chhse something different!

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

Miss- I really like Xander and would love it as a first name but it's DP who thinks it's a tad poncy, I don't. He would only be happy with Alexander.

Thanks for your opinions, I really like Layla and I think it suits an older woman too, but each to their own.

[CoteDAzur]

Layla is an Arabic/Muslim name meaning "dark night". Are you Muslim? Is your baby girl likely to be dark haired & brown eyed? If "no" to both, maybe choose a name that is more relevant to you & her.

[TaurielTest]

Be prepared for hilarious people to sing the Eric Clapton riff at her constantly...

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

CDA- or it can mean 'night beauty' or 'born at night'. No we are not Muslim, neither are we dark but I won't be choosing it for its original meaning. I just think it's a pretty name. And who knows? she may well be born during the night.

[CoteDAzur]

It does not mean "born at night". You really shouldn't put much faith in baby name websites. They make stuff up.

It means "dark night" and is used to name dark haired babies with dark complexion.

Personally, I would say "it's pretty" is not enough reason to give one's child a name that is irrelevant to her AND irrelevant to her culture. Of course, to each their own and all that, but do consider the possibility that it might be an idea to give her that has a meaning closer to her own culture/family/history and relevance to her personally.

[ValiumSingleton]

Nice, but I think there are a lot of L names out there now. Lila, Lola, Lily, Leila, Libby, Lulu

I do think it's pretty, it just might get lost in a sea of really girly L names.

[zenoushka]

I really like Layla.

[ValiumSingleton]

ps, definitely not as a sister to an Ollie. That means that they have one consonant between the two of them. Mean. Throw an other one in to the ring!

Sasha?

Xander for a boy is trop poncey pour moi, but it's nice.

[KAEKAE]

CoteDAzur - the culture and history thing is crap IMO. I choose a name because I like it. End of. My DD has a name I consider to be pretty and that's why I chose it. I think you need to calm yourself down a bit.

I only know one 10 year old called Layla, it suits her. I like the name, I don't hear it often which I like.

[Mrsmackie]

Totally disagree CoteDAzur - why can't you choose a name that is simply 'pretty' and that you like? I know plenty of people who have chosen names for this reason.

[MrsJamesMartin]

Love it. Layla is my DDs name

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

CDA- A name can mean many things in different cultures/langauges. I choose a name because it sounds nice and the majority vote thinks it is a nice name too. Good enough reason for me.

Valium- His full title is Oliver, we just call him Ollie, so 3 more to add to the ring! Inless I decided to spell it Laila? I prefer vowels myself anyway

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

I meant unless, not inless. God I am tired today! I knew something didn't look right!

[blowninonabreeze]

I like layla, and have always thought of it as a grown womans name until very recently when I've met 2 pre-schoolers called it.

My mum has 2 lovely freinds called Laila.

Do it

[blowninonabreeze]

friends

[megapixels]

I'm afraid I'm with CoteDAzur on this. Some names sound so incongruous on people of a totally different culture.

I think Layla sounds very pretty, but I don't like it for the meanings. Dark, night etc. sound so gloomy. My girls have arabic names meaning intelligent, and brilliance/splendour.

[CoteDAzur]

KAEKAE - I'm very calm, actually. Just telling it like I see it.

"the culture and history thing is crap IMO"

You are entitled to your own opinion but that does not mean you are correct.

I know quite a few Lailas/Laylas/Leilas/Leylas. One of them is little Chinese girl Parents obviously thought "I think the name is pretty so I take it for my girl", like you do.

Their other daughter is also obviously Chinese and is called "Aimee" (French name) and they pronounce it "Amy" which is not how that name is pronounced at all. Now they live in a French-speaking country.

"I like it, I get it, I give it to my baby" is all great, and yes you have that right, but... why? Why would you want to, when you have loads of names to choose from within your own heritage. Names that mean something in your culture and to your people.

[zippy539]

I really like it.

Actually I see it as a 'grown-up-woman' name - to the point that when I met a little Layla I was initially a bit taken aback.

Also think it goes well with Ollie.

Go for it.

[hogshead]

wit make me think of the song - cue cracking guitar riff

[proudfoot]

It's nice and I also think it's grown up - don't see why it would be a childish name

I say go for it.

Not so keen on Xander but I like the full Alexander.