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Baby names

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

Original poster

Layla for a girl, Ethan for a boy.....opinions please! (I won't get narky, I promise)

42 replies

Boodlerpoop · 16/07/2009 09:43

unsure about spelling of Layla/Laila tho....

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rimmer08 · 27/07/2009 19:40

beautiful names

oftenpurple · 24/07/2009 17:58

DD is called Layla so definitely a vote from me. I have yet to meet another little Layla and we live in the Middle East!

DS often gets called Ethan but has an Arabic name that sounds similar so it confuses the Brits ;)

monkeyfeathers · 24/07/2009 15:55

I think Ethan passes all parts of that test with flying colours. Not sure how Leila/Layla would fare as a bar man though.

FWIW. I think Ethan is OK (and not at all chavvy), but I don't really like Leila/Layla at all.

SparklyGothKat: My OH likes Ethan for DS2 but I like Callum. Since I will be the one giving birth, he will be Callum rather than Ethan. Also DS1 is Aidan. Aidan and Ethan are a bit too similar.

Grammaticus · 24/07/2009 13:27

Both a bit popular and non-traditional. And they don't pass the test - which is: can you imagine the name referring to a bar man, a gardener, a pilot and a high court judge. I don't think so.

MrsMcCluskey · 24/07/2009 13:20

Like Layla
Not keen on Ethan

SexyDomesticatedDad · 24/07/2009 13:18

Our DS1 Ethan just turned 17, I still don't hear / know of that many others, none I know of at the playgroup.

nappyaddict · 24/07/2009 02:24

fortyplus I don't think it was so popular as to be in the top 100 or anything though was it? Anyway names like Isabella, Isobel, Mary, Eleanor, Catherine, Elizabeth, Annie, Heather, Alice, Grace, Rose, Georgina, Martha, Violet, Veronica etc were all very popular years ago but they are making a come back now and are very common and of the moment again.

SparklyGothKat · 23/07/2009 23:53

I like both names. Ethan was my choice for DS2 but DH liked Callum so he became Callum

fortyplus · 23/07/2009 23:49

nappyaddict you are obviously far too young to realise that Leila was popular in the 60s!

qumquat · 21/07/2009 11:13

I like them both but I would spell it Leila, I think it looks much nicer

nappyaddict · 21/07/2009 02:10

Sorry I don't like either. They are both very of the moment and very very popular.

fortyplus · 21/07/2009 01:21

I went to school with a Leila

seaturtle · 21/07/2009 01:05

I have an Ethan. Didn't settle for the name until a few weeks before he was due. I'd seen it in one of those top 20 most popular name lists, was determined not to give him a trendy name, had other names lined up, but liked it too much in the end.

Layla is lovely.

KnickKnack · 20/07/2009 15:53

I adore Ethan

Really don't like Layla (no idea why!)

JodieO · 20/07/2009 15:50

I have an Ethan and he's lovely

teddygirl23 · 20/07/2009 15:45

love ethan not so much layla

sunshinejanuary · 20/07/2009 15:44

I knew a mean Layla so that colours my opinion! Ethan is lovely though.

MumHadEnough · 20/07/2009 13:33

Love them both. We were going to call ds Ethan but settled for Cameron in the end. Trust me Ethan would have suited him better since it means warrior .

Love Layla too, have a friend who's little girl is called this and she's gorgeous. She's also half Turkish so it really suits her.

GoldenSnitch · 20/07/2009 13:31

My sister is named Leilah and it really suits her.

There is the Eric Clapton link and she now hates 'that' song but I don't think she'd change her name for the world.

It's Arabic/Hebrew/Persian and means night beauty or dark haired beauty which I don't think rules out any English roses. My sister is gorgeous and has lovely dark brown hair - perfect

MamaHobgoblin · 20/07/2009 13:08

I can't even say Layla without singing it a la Eric Clapton! Nice name but suspect many people will have the same problem.

Ethan - meh. It's very American, isn't it? My two associations are: my old computer was wiped out by a virus called Ethan, and wasn't Ethan a Big Baddie in Lost?

Sorry, not very helpful!

jellybeans · 20/07/2009 13:05

Great names

margotandjerry · 20/07/2009 06:27

both sound pleasant but are or are becoming very popular...if you don't mind your kids being one of many...then go for it!

Original poster
Boodlerpoop · 17/07/2009 19:34

yup, mind definetly made up for Layla, not too sure bout Ethan but himself loves it so might just gop for it....have feeling it's a girl anyway...

OP posts:
brimfull · 16/07/2009 11:24

don't like either

clairebear88 · 16/07/2009 11:24

Hi

Love love these 2 names. I would use them but have problems with both
Layla - is beautiful but it rhymes with our surname so sounds funny
Ethan - My DH is cockney so says Eefan so again sounds stupid.

But go for it as they are nice names