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Original poster

Girl name - some help please!

31 replies

Eleonorex · 30/01/2021 21:37

Hi! I am not British and my husband not British - very mixed heritage so complicated to explain and quite irrelevant, but I need to mention this because I might not like classic British names. However, I would like to use a name that doesn't sound weird in English, as we live here and I wouldn't want my baby girl to be teased at school.

So, after eliminating many names (!!!!) for various reasons, we are quite keen on Leela.

Could you please tell me how this sounds in English and what a girl with this name would be like in people's mind, what would be the perception? I am quite curious to see what people think and of course you can be creative if you like, I would love to hear your thoughts! :-) :-)

Thank you!!!

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FenEel · 30/01/2021 21:46

I think it is pretty but it makes me think immediately a/ of the character in Futurama and b/ of the character in Dr Who - so two sci Fi characters. Whether that bothers you or not is up to you.

Enidblyton1 · 30/01/2021 21:51

Leela is a nice name, OP. There is no problem with pronunciation in English.
If you like it, go for it!

partyatthepalace · 30/01/2021 21:51

It’s ok. Not very distinguished but nothing to object to.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 30/01/2021 22:53

I agree with pp that Leela sounds a bit Sci -fi/Fantasy and not particularly distinguished (because it's not a more classic/traditional or historical name in this country), but it's there's nothing "wrong" with it as such - Leela has a pretty sound and doesn't seem teasable, so I'd go for it if you like it OP.

Original poster
Eleonorex · 30/01/2021 23:07

When you say it is not distinguished, do you mean it doesn't sound very classy?
How about Lilibet? I know it is the nickname of the Queen, but I thought it was also a nice name in its own way.

OP posts:
IamnotwhouthinkIam · 30/01/2021 23:54

Yes, "not distinguished" is a polite euphemism for a not particularly classy name (because Leela looks slightly Sci fi/Fantasy as mentioned and is also so similar to better known name Leila - so it looks a bit like a misspelling).

However when thinking about it further - Leela is a Sanskrit name isn't it? So if you have a "non- English" looking surname too, no one would think Leela was made up/invented (because they would assume instead that it was a name from another country so any usual biases wouldn't apply).

Lilibet is well known as a nn for Elizabeth (because it is famously the Queen's childhood nickname) so as a given name it would sound odd imo. Of the two, I'd stick with Leela.

Synchrony · 31/01/2021 00:09

I like Leela, it sounds fine to me.
Lilibet sounds like a nickname and I only associate it with the Queen.

StarFriend · 31/01/2021 00:18

You could always name her Elizabeth - classic and timeless but call her Lilibet or Leila as a nickname /shortening.

Ginfilledcats · 31/01/2021 09:24

I prefer Lilibet to Leela, but I do prefer classic names/nicknames to others. Agree with Leila being the more common spelling (when I've seen it anyway) but it's a pretty name, if you like it go for it).
The only one I knew at school was a bit chavvy, but that's hardly the name's fault!

Palavah · 31/01/2021 09:28

I wouldn't think Leela was a misspelling of Leila - I'd pronounce the latter differently anyway.

Women I've met called Leela have been from India or Sri Lanka, or family origins there, so that's what it would conjure for me.

Palavah · 31/01/2021 09:29

Lilibet would be v difficult to dissociate from the Queen. Never heard of anyone else use it.

Original poster
Eleonorex · 31/01/2021 09:32

Leela is a name in its own right and differs from Leila in the pronunciation and meaning and origin. But I don't want to look at the meaning just the sound of it. Sorry, I felt to mention it as it not like Leila or Leyla pronunciation, it is ee.
Being Lilibet the NN of the Queen is a problem? I guess it simply sound classy, right? It seems a positive to me.

OP posts:
Lweji · 31/01/2021 09:33

I think Leela is fine.
Not many people, let alone children her age will be familiar with Futurama.

Palavah · 31/01/2021 09:36

Yes, that's my understanding.

Re Lilibet it depends whether you are happy that it will always be associated with the Queen and you will assumed to be heavily royalist. I wouldn't especially say it is classy - it's a childish nickname.

If you called your child Elizabeth you would be less likely to get "like the Queen?" as a response.

Edenember · 31/01/2021 09:45

I’m not keen, I concur with what others have said about the sci-fi / chavvy associations. However, your surname could dispel all of those cultural biases, giving it a totally different feel if it’s not English as someone has mentioned.

I actually really like Lilibet, it’s a general nickname for Elizabeth (not just for the Queen), although agree with others the association is strong as no one else seems to use it, it’s always Liz, Lizzie or Libby. It’s long enough to be used as a name in its own right, it does sound quite twee and cutesy but also had vintage appeal, and it’s probably due a revival in its own right.

Original poster
Eleonorex · 31/01/2021 10:33

My last name is not British and actually sounds really nice with both Lilibet and Leela. I guess I don't want to give her a chavy name though. Lilibet maybe can be NN to Leela!!!! ;-)

OP posts:
Original poster
Eleonorex · 31/01/2021 10:35

I don't mind the royal association, on the contrary it seems a good luck name considering Her long healthy life!

OP posts:
partyatthepalace · 31/01/2021 10:37

Lilibet would be a weird thing to actually call your daughter - it’s a little girls nick name. Defiantly not ‘classy’.

If you like it you could call her Elizabeth or Lillian and use Lily/Lilibet as a nn.

Or just stick with Leela which is fine.

WellityWellityWellity · 31/01/2021 10:45

Leela sounds nice enough to me. I would spell it that way, as Leila will get Ly-la or Lay-la I think?

My only hesitation would be that Lyla and Lyra are quite en Vogue at the moment. Then there is Layla, Lola, Lara, Elara, Elora...so it might sound quite samey if she has a few of those in her class. But if that doesn't bother you then go for it!

Lillibet is a bit comical / silly / informal / frilly sounding to me. Reminds me of Lilliput from Gulliver's Travels.

Of the two, I would definitely go with Leela.

Impact007 · 31/01/2021 11:19

I've always liked the name Lexu

Impact007 · 31/01/2021 11:24

Lexi that was meant to say - hate typing on phones

Peachbubble · 31/01/2021 12:00

I think Leela is a lovely name. Not keen on Lillibet, but OK as a nickname.

MercyBodle · 31/01/2021 12:19

Leela is fine and I think by far the best of the 2 names. Lilibet is a bit odd and not classy I think. You seem to think that because it's a nickname of the Queen's that it's classy, but it's not really. Elizabeth, Eliza, or Lily, are much better.
I'd stick with Leela though.

Ijustlikedthename · 31/01/2021 16:04

I've always liked Leela

CaffiSaliMali · 31/01/2021 16:13

Leela is lovely OP. I think most people would recognise it as a name, it may not be British but it's reasonably well known.

I know a Leila who pronounces her name as Leela but sometimes people pronounce Leila as Layla so I think Leela is the most practical spelling to ensure the pronunciation you want.

Lilibet is well known as the Queen's childhood nickname but I don't like it as a name in its own right - Elizabeth is much nicer.