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Baby names

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

Original poster

Orla or Sophie

35 replies

SJay401 · 02/10/2024 23:33

Which do you prefer? Sibling to a Harry with a J surname

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CruCru · 05/10/2024 17:18

I’m not sure. Sophie used to be very popular but I don’t know any under 15. Sophia is very popular and it’s possible that people will assume your daughter’s name is Sophia out of habit.

I am a bit prejudiced against Sophie because it was an old boyfriend’s favourite girls’ name. But this is firmly my issue, not yours.

Orla is nice (probably one of my favourite Irish girls’ names). Do you have any Irish heritage? Because people will probably say “How lovely! Are your parents Irish?”. This may get annoying for her.

Fontainebleau007 · 05/10/2024 13:29

Sophie

MerryChristmasToYou · 05/10/2024 13:29

BatsInSpring · 05/10/2024 08:38

Sophie is considered 'overused', not a term I like very much.
I have two children in primary school who go to lots of clubs and I know zero kids called Sophie.
Of the two, it's the lovelier by far.

I understand why you dislike the term, but it's only a way of saying there are lots of them so the name seems a bit ordinary. I don't know any primary school age Sophies, and I really like the name, but Sophia and Sofia are so popular that it would put me off using it.

Similarly, I don't know any little Isabels, only two about my age, but i know so many Isabellas and Isabelles that Isabel seems overused.

Some names get called overused (e.g. Anna) when they aren't particularly popular. I know ones of different ages. Sophie, Isabel and Anna seem quite timeless.

An example of a name that was overused is Chloe. I remember thinking it was nice and unusual in the 1980s but by the 2010s it had been given to tens of thousands of baby girls. Babies called Chloe in England & Wales since 1996 (darkgreener.com)

Psychologymam · 05/10/2024 12:55

Both are lovely! Where are you based? From MN it would seem large parts of the UK are really funny about non English names. We lived in a progressive city and zero issues (or at least none said to us !). Some areas will have lots of Sophies but that’s okay too!

Heidi2018 · 05/10/2024 12:46

I'm a 30-something year old Orla, who spells it as Orla (have also seen it spelled Orlagh, Orlaith, and even Orfhlaith)! I've never been bullied over the name even with the autocorrect to oral, but even in the most professional of situations, have received emails saying Hello Oral instead of Hello Orla!

I voted Sophie. I think it flows better with Harry. Also Orla can be mispronounced, over the years I've gotten Ur-la, Aaarr-la and Aw-la.

BatsInSpring · 05/10/2024 08:38

Sophie is considered 'overused', not a term I like very much.
I have two children in primary school who go to lots of clubs and I know zero kids called Sophie.
Of the two, it's the lovelier by far.

Grinchinlaws · 05/10/2024 08:35

DramaAlpaca · 03/10/2024 01:12

If you have an Irish or other rhotic accent and pronounce the 'r', Orla is beautiful. Pronounced in a non-rhotic accent, not quite so much. 'Awla' really isn't pretty.

Sophie is gorgeous, so that's my pick.

Hard agree with this.

SemperIdem · 05/10/2024 05:41

I prefer the sound of Orla but accept that I, with my non-rhotic accent, cannot actually recreate that sound and do the name justice, nor can anyone where I live. Autocorrecting to oral is also not ideal.

So, assuming you also have a non-rhotic accent (could be wrong I suppose), it’s Sophie.

flyinghen · 03/10/2024 17:59

Sophie goes better with Harry I think!

BarbaraHoward · 03/10/2024 15:25

Both lovely, but I have two little girls and they're collecting Sophies at a fierce rate which would put me off.

Orla is lovely but as said above I wouldn't pick it if either parent has a non-rhotic accent or you live somewhere where most people do.

Liv999 · 03/10/2024 12:27

Sophie is lovely, Orla has a nice meaning but not a nice sound

onwardsup4 · 03/10/2024 12:00

I love Orla , two very different names !

sel2223 · 03/10/2024 09:43

Also initials OJ making me think of OJ Simpson.
SJ much nicer

Oganesson118 · 03/10/2024 09:26

I like Orla but Harry and Sophie sound better together. They’re both nice names!

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 03/10/2024 09:14

SJay401 · 02/10/2024 23:33

Which do you prefer? Sibling to a Harry with a J surname

As a pp said, ORLA just makes me think ORAL. Sorry @SJay401

Definitely SOPHIE.

abracadabra1980 · 03/10/2024 09:12

Ps: I do like Orla too!!

abracadabra1980 · 03/10/2024 09:11

Hmm I'm biased - but I have a Sophie and a Harry. They may be over used but both DC like their (classic) names are thankful that they do not have unusual names-neither are 'out there' personality wise. Sophie tends to her Soph amongst those who know her.

MerryChristmasToYou · 03/10/2024 08:43

Sophie. Oral sounds like Awla in many accents.

Firsttimebabymummy · 03/10/2024 08:39

Definitely Sophie. X

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 03/10/2024 06:50

Sophie

LolleePop · 03/10/2024 06:49

Definitely Sophie. Such a lovely, classic name.
Really dislike Orla. Hard sounding name.
Also
Harry and Orla? No. Doesn't go well.
Harry and Sophie? Lovely! Really goes together nicely!

StampOnTheGround · 03/10/2024 06:44

Sophie! But I've never liked Orla, even though loads do - not even sure why!

Sophie also goes nicely with Harry.

bonkersplonkers · 03/10/2024 06:41

How about Orlaith?

BoleynMemories13 · 03/10/2024 06:39

Sophie suits any age and matches Harry perfectly.

Orla is one of my least favourite Irish girls names I don't find it a nice sound, and the fact it often autocorrects to oral could be embarrassing/problematic for her later in life.

sel2223 · 03/10/2024 05:26

Sophie is a beautiful, classic name.

Orla not so much for me, it's too much like 'oral'..... too much potential for bullying I think