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Baby names

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

Original poster

Top 3 names 🩷

53 replies

mommyandmore · 19/04/2025 11:36

We have finally narrowed it down with a week to go until we meet DD!
We have found this so hard this time around. DD1 is Orla. Please can you tell me what you think of the following 3 names…

  1. Lana
  2. Heidi
  3. Olivia
middle name will be Elizabeth. We are after something beautiful, not too fussy and something that will stand her well when she’s an adult and in a great career! I know many can judge a book by its cover so I’d love to know what comes to mind. please be kind - I’m very aware of the Lana issue however, one can do this with so many names it’s not a deal breaker for us. Thanks all!
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fox919 · 19/04/2025 15:59

Heidi

mathanxiety · 19/04/2025 15:57

Orla and Alanna would be perfect together. Both are Irish names and have the same soft feel.

Alanna is a name derived from the Irish phrase roughly meaning 'beloved child'.

Other than Alanna I'd choose Lana, but spell it Layna if you want that pronunciation. If you want the 'Lahna' pronunciation I'd honestly choose Alanna.

BuntyBeaufort · 19/04/2025 15:56

Heidi is ok, but the one I know is always called Hides, which is not so great.
On balance Lana out of the 3, but keep looking.

sunshineandshowers40 · 19/04/2025 15:51

Love the name Heidi. My DC are all at secondary school now and I have only met/heard of one Heidi- she would be about 7 years old now.

Norastroud · 19/04/2025 15:50

I love Alanna, know a lovely girl with that name & she goes by the nickname Larni

Original poster
mommyandmore · 19/04/2025 15:45

Thanks so much everyone! What do you think of Alanna?

OP posts:
Mumofgirls2017 · 19/04/2025 15:37

like Heidi

olivia is nice but sooooo popular and Lana I’m not a huge fan of; get confused with Alana, Lara, llama(!) etc.

BootballJoy · 19/04/2025 15:30

I like Olivia, but it really doesn't go with Elizabeth as a middle name. Not a fan of Lana (or Lara), bit of a harsh sound.
Heidi Elizabeth is a fine name.

Purplecatshopaholic · 19/04/2025 14:47

Not Olivia - waaaay too common. I’d go Lara (not Lana) as I don’t like Heidi (too twee).

Firsttimebabymummy · 19/04/2025 14:38

Norastroud · 19/04/2025 13:59

Heidi Elizabeth is my favourite!

Agree.
Lovely name! Don't think the others sound right next to Orla

marshmallowfinder · 19/04/2025 14:22

Heidi, definitely. It's gorgeous.

AmusedZebra · 19/04/2025 14:18

Lana for me.
Olivia feels too plain next to a lovely name like Orla, and I’m just personally not a fan Heidi (although there is nothing wrong with the name)

Whatthefuck3456 · 19/04/2025 14:09

Olivia is not my preference at all, every Olivia I have met is not a nice person!

Norastroud · 19/04/2025 13:59

Heidi Elizabeth is my favourite!

user1492757084 · 19/04/2025 13:37

Orla and her sister..
Heidi Elizabeth

Other ideas:

Ida
Bridie
Grace
Mary

Motheroffive999 · 19/04/2025 13:34

I like Lana , but how about Lara ?

PowderMonkeys · 19/04/2025 13:32

Olivia. I think you’ll have pronunciation issues with Lana (Layna or Lana with the long ‘a’ from ‘bath’), and both Heidis I know (adults) hate their name’s tweeness and associations with wholesomeness, mountains, goatherds etc. One of them is a thin, tall, crop-haired type who dresses in a very tailored way (think a brunette Tilda Swinton), who is driven mad by people exclaiming ‘You’re not a bit what I expected!’

LoudPlumDog · 19/04/2025 13:17

Heidi Elisabeth

I love Lana ( not sure of your reference?) also love Alana, but not with Orla. Olivia is also great, but again not with Orla.

Original poster
mommyandmore · 19/04/2025 13:14

Thanks for your thoughts so far! All fair points and worth considering!

OP posts:
GreyhoundGal1 · 19/04/2025 13:11

I personally think that Lana and Olivia are too close to Orla for me. When shouting them out together they'd get all mixed up.

That leaves Heidi as the choice, which I also think hits all your criteria. Beautiful, not too fussy, will work well as an adult.

DoYouReally · 19/04/2025 12:31

Olivia's very common snd close to Orla. Lana is prone to bullying due to its spelling backwards.
Heidi is the best of the three.

I know lots of Orla's. I've listed their siblings below which I think go nicely with it.

Anna
Tara
Maeve
Róisín
Rachel
Ciara
Clara
Hannah

Emanwenym · 19/04/2025 12:17

Lana - too many L names currently popular
Heidi - fine
Olivia - overused and too matchy with Orla

Moreteaandchocolate · 19/04/2025 12:11

Lana and Heidi are both perfect - love them both. I’ve got a particular soft spot for Heidi so I’d pick that.

Please not yet another Olivia - especially with such a beautiful and fairly uncommon name like Orla.

CowboyHatAndBoots · 19/04/2025 12:06

I really love Lana but I wouldn’t use it due to the issue you mention. My friend liked it as well but went with Lara instead due to the issue. So how about Lara?
Olivia is nice but maybe quite similar to Orla, not sure. And Olivia Elizabeth doesn’t sound great to me. I don’t like Heidi.

Only a week to wait, how exciting!

AdaColeman · 19/04/2025 11:58

Heidi is my favourite, though they are all lovely names.