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Original poster

Is it trendy or timeless?

25 replies

GirlBabs · 07/10/2011 23:28

Is the name Leila a trendy name that will date or a timeless name like Anna?

Difference of opinion here and would like to get others' views. Thanks.

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littleacceb · 07/10/2011 23:39

I have a 30-something-year-old friend named Leila. I'd put it somewhere in between - just the right balance between classic and current.

My only reservation would be having to spell your name out to people, and having to tell people who only see it written how to pronounce it, because it could be said as "Layla" or "Lila". But then I'm quite lazy!

Fatshionista · 07/10/2011 23:44

My DD is Layla. Timeless.

LadyBoy · 07/10/2011 23:46

I would say it's a very 'current' name, therefore will date. I know of lots of little ones with the name but not many adults.

nonsenses · 07/10/2011 23:47

Very trendy. Will date in my opinion - a bit like Nicola from my era.

smackapacca · 07/10/2011 23:49

I like it :)

Know a Leila (French) in her 20's so not tooooo current.

SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 08/10/2011 00:46

You've definitely picked the best spelling - Leila.

I would say, especially with that spelling, that it's mid way between classic and trendy. It's not timeless like Anna, no way, but it's been around long enough not to be completely date-able.

Original poster
GirlBabs · 08/10/2011 00:53

By the way - I would pronounce it Lie-la

OP posts:
SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 08/10/2011 00:56

I would pronounce it Lay-la, so be prepared to be correcting pronunciation often.

Out of interest, why would you pronounce it the opposite way to how the vowels are actually placed - 'ie' instead of 'ei'? In other words, spelling it X but pronouncing it Y?

Fixture · 08/10/2011 09:16

It's quite a "current" name IMHO.

flack · 08/10/2011 09:19

What Slinking said. I would spell it "Lilah" if I wanted it said that way.
I don't really like it, tbh, kind of babyish sounding imho.

MelinaM · 08/10/2011 10:27

My friends GGGM is Leila - Lee-la so I feel it's quite classic. But Lila - Ly-la I feel has become a tad trendy, probably due to Mossy naming her daughter that.

littleacceb · 08/10/2011 10:55

SOIS - I'm not sure, but I think that the German pronunciation of "ei" is like "eye".

MrsOzz · 08/10/2011 11:06

I think it's been around for the last 100 years or so but is slowly buy surely getting more popular. I know Layla's in their 20s and 30s but I also know 3 (same name different spellings) between 0 and 3.

It will date slighty. But 99.9% of names will date to some degree. Even 'classics' like Elizabeth which has been top 100 every year for the last 100 years sounds quite dull and not very current.

So I think Layla had the best of both, it's not a made up name which has only been around a couple of years (think Lexie, unheard of 10 years ago). But its still quite trendy and of the moment, whilst being well known and a firmly grounded name.

tummytickler · 08/10/2011 11:51

I would say Layla is quite a classic name, but because of the Lila/Lola/Lily names it gets sucked in with them, and I think it will sound dated because of them.
I also agree that if you want to pronounce it Lie - la the Lila/h is the best spelling, or you will be forever correcting people.

GuillotinedMaryLacey · 08/10/2011 11:55

I have a friend in her 30's called Leila (Leela). Never struck me as a name that will date.

NinkyNonker · 08/10/2011 19:18

Not timeless imo, definitely more trendy.

GumballCharm · 08/10/2011 19:24

Lola and Lily are timeless tummy both really old.

tummytickler · 08/10/2011 20:22

I know they are old, but that does not mean they won't sound dated and unfashionable. We must have different ideas of timeless.

manicinsomniac · 08/10/2011 20:37

I don't think I'd ever heard the name till a few years ago. No idea how it would age though.

My main reservation is that there are several very popular spellings so you'd always be getting a vaiety of attempts from people:
From the 2010 staistics:
44 Layla 1419 babies
95 Laila 616 babies
137 Leila 423 babies
295 Leyla 162 babies

There's also Lila and Lyla in the top 300 but they're probably different names.

SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 09/10/2011 01:15

Beryl and Mildred are also very old names, but you must surely agree they are also very dated, i.e. not timeless.

Names go in and out of fashion, just because they've been around for a long time doesn't mean they're enduringly classic.

nooka · 09/10/2011 02:41

My immediate thought was Leila from Dr Who. Great character, pronounced Lee-la. So that's how I'd say it. Then there is the Lay-la pronunciation, which makes me think of that dire Eric Clapton song. Or Lie-la which makes me think of my niece Lila.

So I'd say with this name your dd will always have to be correcting spelling and pronunciation, which would be a bit of a pain. Is it classic like Anna. No.

Lil is current, and Layla is 70's

Original poster
GirlBabs · 09/10/2011 02:44

Thanks everyone. I am reconsidering the spelling as I ke the pronounciation - LY-La.

OP posts:
RustyBear · 09/10/2011 03:15

The Doctor Who companion was spelt Leela, as well as being pronounced that way.

I know two girls in their mid-twenties, both pronounced Layla, one spelt like that, one spelt Leila. I don't think it will date because there are enough around of varying ages - it's not a name where you can immediately guess how old the girl is.

shreddedandnotatallsmug · 09/10/2011 03:23

It's a lovely classical Arabic name - cf Leila Khaled

shreddedandnotatallsmug · 09/10/2011 03:24

I know a 50 year old Leila, and a 15 year old Layla

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