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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

What's more classic Lily or Leah?

67 replies

hcarter8 · 28/10/2023 14:59

Dd is due in 8 weeks and we are torn between these two names. Technically both are pretty timeless, Leah is a biblical name and Lily has been used for hundreds of years so you can't really go wrong with either but I would appreciate some of your thoughts about each name.

Which one do you prefer? I'm really struggling to decide

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SneezyEvie · 30/10/2023 13:44

I think Lily is more classic and much prettier than Leah in my opinion.

The only downside is that I hear it EVERYWHERE :(

BringItOnxxx · 30/10/2023 06:42

Lara or Lana is better

tiredandolderthanithought · 30/10/2023 06:39

I don't think of Leah as a classic name but I think of Lily as one.
There are loads of Leah's in my daughter's school year (late teen). Lots of Lilys about too though.

DsTTy · 30/10/2023 06:37

AcrobaticCardigan · 28/10/2023 15:09

Lily is beautiful - very pretty & classic. I wouldn’t consider Leah classic at all - it’s a bit 80s. I didn't even know it was a biblical name!

This

SkyeBlue28 · 30/10/2023 06:35

I prefer Leah.
I’m Irish and we can also spell it Liadh which is the spelling I would choose but that would probably only work in Ireland.

HAF1119 · 30/10/2023 05:47

Leah I'm not so keen on. I do like Lily though it is common, so depends if you care that there may be another in the same class!

ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming · 30/10/2023 05:43

muckandnettles · 28/10/2023 16:49

I've always liked Leah as it's a family name, but I do remember that when I was little I thought my Aunty Leah was actually 'Leer' because that's how everyone said it. Lily is lovely though!

I also had an Aunty Leah, and it is a family name. She was often called Lee.

I prefer it to Lily, which has been a bit overused of late.

user1492757084 · 30/10/2023 03:17

Leah. Lily seems lightweight compared to Leah.
Lillie Langtry is who I think of.

Lily is quite classic though I prefer the sound of others ..
I love a French name - Lilou
Louisa - Lulu
Eloise
Tilley
Holly
Molly

Daisybuttercup12345 · 28/10/2023 21:38

I had a great aunt Leah. She was known as 'Lil".
I know a couple of children called Leah and one in her 30s.
Lily very common.
You don't hear Leanne now.

MrsRainMac · 28/10/2023 20:52

Leah is more classic as it’s a biblical name, but it also seems to go in and out of style. Lily seems to have stayed in style for longer, so I’d say Lily.

Viviennemary · 28/10/2023 20:52

I prefer Lily. But Leah is an ok name.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 28/10/2023 20:51

I love Leah

muddyford · 28/10/2023 20:44

Leah has several thousand years of use and is lovely.

Hibernatalie · 28/10/2023 20:40

Lily is one of my favourite ever names

Shitweek1 · 28/10/2023 20:39

NannyR · 28/10/2023 15:12

I much prefer Leah - less commonly used than Lily and to me it's a stronger name, Lily sounds quite soft and girly in comparison.

Me too, exactly this.

DuchessOfSausage · 28/10/2023 20:14

@Ifyoulikealotofchocolateonyourbiscuit , some Mias are 'My-a'
Mike Tindall reveals how to really pronounce daughter Mia’s name - four years after first announcing it | HELLO! (hellomagazine.com)

Chocolata82 · 28/10/2023 19:32

Leah is biblical and classic
Lily pretty but too popular

Ifyoulikealotofchocolateonyourbiscuit · 28/10/2023 19:31

my dd is Lia and no one has pronounced it wrong. It’s like Mia and Tia

DuchessOfSausage · 28/10/2023 19:30

But Lia might get said as Lie-a

Ifyoulikealotofchocolateonyourbiscuit · 28/10/2023 19:28

Leah but spelled Lia. I think it’s much prettier with this spelling and works well in European countries too

DuchessOfSausage · 28/10/2023 19:10

Lilith isn't biblical.
Leah is.

L names are very popular currently and either Lily or Leah will blend into all the Lily, Lyla, Lyra, Lila, Lula, Luna, Layla, Lena... type names

DramaAlpaca · 28/10/2023 19:04

I prefer Lily.

Leah is ruined by its meaning.

MariaVT65 · 28/10/2023 18:22

I like both but I’d personally go with Leah. Lily is sooooooo common right now. I have a really common name and hated there being 4 of us in my class

LeonBlack · 28/10/2023 18:18

I think there are more than enough Lilys around.

Leah is lovely.

mathanxiety · 28/10/2023 18:14

@sipsqueak
It's Lee-ah. Your brain is right.