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

What's more classic Lily or Leah?

67 replies

hcarter8 · 28/10/2023 14:59

Dd is due in 8 weeks and we are torn between these two names. Technically both are pretty timeless, Leah is a biblical name and Lily has been used for hundreds of years so you can't really go wrong with either but I would appreciate some of your thoughts about each name.

Which one do you prefer? I'm really struggling to decide

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Angrymum22 · 28/10/2023 15:00

Lily

AllWeWantToDo · 28/10/2023 15:00

Leah

marshmallowfinder · 28/10/2023 15:01

I prefer Lily, although it's really common. Leah makes me think of leer, which is a horrible word.

viques · 28/10/2023 15:02

You could go for Lilith which is both biblical and a bit like Lily.

user1846385927482658 · 28/10/2023 15:03

Lily

mrwalkensir · 28/10/2023 15:05

Feels like at least 20% of girls are called Lily nowadays!

Robinbuildsbears · 28/10/2023 15:05

Leah

InvisibleDuck · 28/10/2023 15:06

Leah

AcrobaticCardigan · 28/10/2023 15:09

Lily is beautiful - very pretty & classic. I wouldn’t consider Leah classic at all - it’s a bit 80s. I didn't even know it was a biblical name!

NannyR · 28/10/2023 15:12

I much prefer Leah - less commonly used than Lily and to me it's a stronger name, Lily sounds quite soft and girly in comparison.

adriftinadenofvipers · 28/10/2023 15:14

AcrobaticCardigan · 28/10/2023 15:09

Lily is beautiful - very pretty & classic. I wouldn’t consider Leah classic at all - it’s a bit 80s. I didn't even know it was a biblical name!

Of course it’s classic, as a Biblical name!

Both are pretty but Leah is less common.

nobleisle · 28/10/2023 15:14

Lily

LovelyLeahsmum · 28/10/2023 15:18

I have a Leah and I love that it's a familiar name but she is the only Leah we know. There are 3 girls called Lily in her school year.

The big downside for her is she rarely finds her name on tat in souvenir shops which she finds disappointing as her sister's name is always there!

ComtesseDeSpair · 28/10/2023 15:26

What’s your intention in wanting a “classic” name? Do you mean one which is relatively timeless / can’t really guess age through the name alone? I wouldn’t put Lily in that category: I’d assume that a Lily was either over 90, or under 20. It’s a cyclical sort of name.

BuffaloCauliflower · 28/10/2023 15:31

There’s loads of Lily’s around at the moment, but I don’t know any Leah’s of any age. It is a bit 80s, but as you say also biblical so much more classic. I’d go with Leah out if the two.

Mumofteenandtween · 28/10/2023 15:37

I like both names.

Lily is very popular so good chance that there will be 3 in her year at school but she will be able to get things with her name on.

Leah is much rarer (I don’t know any little Leah’s).

Leah is biblical so technically more classic but a lot of people won’t have heard of her.

The story of Leah is a bit of a sad one.

Liv999 · 28/10/2023 15:39

Leah is lovely, biblical and a classic, Lily is a bit boring at this stage so many of them

Theproofofthepudding · 28/10/2023 15:41

How out Lillian?

RuthW · 28/10/2023 16:31

Leah is much nicer.

Findyourneutralspace · 28/10/2023 16:33

Leah is a beautiful name. Elegant and less well used. Lily is also lovely but very popular.
I’d chose Leah.

sipsqueak · 28/10/2023 16:39

I have a fundamental problem with Leah because I never know if it's meant to be pronounced "Lee" or Lee-ah". My brain always assumes the latter but I suspect that's wrong?

IsadoraQuagmire · 28/10/2023 16:46

Lily is more common, but much prettier.

HappiDaze · 28/10/2023 16:47

I like Lily

muckandnettles · 28/10/2023 16:49

I've always liked Leah as it's a family name, but I do remember that when I was little I thought my Aunty Leah was actually 'Leer' because that's how everyone said it. Lily is lovely though!

etmoietmoietmoi · 28/10/2023 16:50

I'd say Leah is more classic - as an obvious biblical name - but much prefer Lily.