Lyla, Lorna or Lara?

[soulandwine]

I'm stuck having a massive dither between the girl names Lyla, Lorna and Lara. I know that I definitely want a name beginning with L, and this is my shortlist. My pros and cons for each name are as follows:

Lyla - I love the fact that it's so pretty and feminine, and easy to pronounce. I love the spelling. Slightly worried, however, that it's becoming too popular and perhaps sounds too 'little girly' and lacks punch.

Lorna - Really unusual these days, which is great. I love that it sounds strong and assertive. On the cons side, concerned that it sounds a little harsh, not pretty enough and is dated?

Lara - Once again, love how strong this name sounds. Short and pretty. Relatively rare. For the cons, I don't like the fact that it rhymes with so many other names - Cara, Zara, Sara (I don't like any of these names and have bad associations).

Which name gets your vote? I'd really appreciate any thoughts or opinions. I'm open to other name suggestions, although I've spent a very long time getting down to this list.

Thanks in advance!

In a West Country accent Lorna rhymes with Mourner.

Being from the "West Country" (bring your passports!!), I can safely say, if I called my wife "Lorner", I'd certainly get "the look"

'The look'

Well I am from London area and Lorna definitely rhymes with mourner. We probably don't speak proper though.

Of the 3 I prefer Lorna. Everyone knows how to say and spell but unusual these days. Brings to mind Lorna Doone for me.

I'm loving this post too and what people think of the name Lorna. No matter what people think how old fashioned the name is (and I'm no way old fashioned as I have red hair and very modern), it's a million times better than the name my mother wanted to give me which was Morag.

@PhilCornwall1 yes I would have given you the 'look'

Lara.

I don’t like the Lyla spelling, prefer Lila

I don’t Lyra, it may well be the y, as with Lyla

Lorna doesn’t feel very current or classic, just dated.

Thanks all.

Lorna is such a hugely divisive name! I find it equally interesting and confusing.

As for other suggestions:

Lucy/ie - I know many Lucy's and have always felt indifferent towards the name.

Libby - Just don't like this name at all, not sure why.

Lydia - Reminds me strongly of Lydia in Pride and Prejudice.

Lyra - Beautiful, but this name doesn't flow for me.

Lauren - Once again, I know many around my age. Not keen.

Laurel - I find this name dreary.

@Greggers2017 that's interesting, I find myself leaning more towards Lyla at this point.

@SecondStarFromTheRight laughed out loud at your comment! Trying to eradicate vision of yellow Teletubby from my mind..

The safest bet, with the most votes, is Lara. Decisions, decisions..

@Edenember

Of the 3 I prefer Lorna. Everyone knows how to say and spell but unusual these days. Brings to mind Lorna Doone for me.

I can assure you they don't!

Other Lornas (I'm a typical one in my 40s) do you find you used to get called Lauren and Laura a lot but nowadays it's Luna all the time?

OP I like having an unusual name, I never have to clarify which Lorna I am. But I do also get a bit fed up of having to spell it out or get called whatever someone's decided I said.

I had no idea people were so mixed about my name though. No one tells you to your face and I've never seen it discussed before.

Lorna!

Lara and Lyla are OK but Lorna is just a bit more unusual.

LornanotLuna I was also always Lauren or Laura too, can’t say I’ve noticed a change as after a while I just switched off noticing and would automatically just correct either by spelling it out or saying “like Doone”. I’m in my late thirties so definitely not old fashioned

I think Lara is lovely, it's pretty but also strong. Leonie is really nice as well.

@LornaNotLuna

Funniest one my wife had last week in an email was Leslie. I'm enjoying that one!

She's had Luna a few times too.

@DancingWithWillard

LornanotLuna I was also always Lauren or Laura too, can’t say I’ve noticed a change as after a while I just switched off noticing and would automatically just correct either by spelling it out or saying “like Doone”. I’m in my late thirties so definitely not old fashioned

I've had many Lunas lately I think it's Harry Potter. It's made the name popular

I gave up saying like Doone as people would just look blank or think that I was saying that was my name 🙄

I've never been Leslie

Sorry OP I don't know if I'm putting you off the name!

The only times anyone commented on my name it's been very lovely, both people were Scottish. The first was a lovely elderly GP (I had gone in to see him) and he waxed lyrical in the most beautiful Scottish accent about my name and how it was a good, solid Scottish name! This confused me as I was named after Lorna Doone and always believed the name was created by the author.

I've never been confused with a Luna. Always Laura or Lauren.

In my last workplace my manager's daughter was Laura . Manager constantly called her daughter Lorna and me Laura 😂

I also worked with a Laura who was early 20s and we share the same birthday. Colleagues constantly called us by each others name so as a joke we decided to be "The Twins" very flattering to me, being 40 at the time! 😁

I think it was invented by the author but I have also heard it's often used in Scotland.

At Primary school my best friend was Laura. I think that used to confuse people!

I'd view it as Scottish as to me, it's the feminine form of Lorne, a name used in Scotland for boys (and square sausage! ) after the Firth of Lorne or the ancient Lorne province on the West Coast.

Out of these 3 names:

1. Lara - I love it (on its own, not short for Larisa/Larissa)
2. Lorna - good classic Scottish name, it's just I can see it more like a "grown up name", not "cute baby name". Maybe Lorna nn-ed Lorrie?

3 Lyla

I also like Lyra, Lucy, Leona, Lena, Laura/Laurel, Luna, Loreen; not liking Lila, Lauren, Leslie/Lesley or Leonie much.

We pronounce Lorna correctly, you can pronounce it however it goes in your accent, but cut out telling Scots they don't pronounce it correctly.

I'm Scottish and it definitely rhymes with mourner to me!

Lara's lovely

I like Lara. I also know a little girl called Alara which I think is very pretty.

Thanks @Atomsaway.

I considered Alara (before deciding I definitely wanted a name beginning with L). It's a very pretty name, but somewhat reminds me of 'alarm.'

@forrandomposts That's so weird. Lorr-nah does not rhyme with mourner in any Scottish accent I've ever heard. Where are you from?

East Lothian @Downton57