What d'ya think to Suki?

[milliemayhem]

I'm not pregnant or planning to become so for quite a while, hands full with DS at mo, but me and partner have that 'what do you think of ...... for a girl/boy' conversation from time to time, and i always mention Suki or Layla for a girl and Rudy for a boy. Just wondered about other peoples views. I've already got a Finley so would need something to go alongside that. Always nice to be prepared for the occasion!

[NotQuiteCockney]

Um, Swahili is a lingua franca in East Africa. Yes, it's of Bantu origin. It's borrowed lots of words from Arabic.

I've certainly known quite a few Swahili speakers (technically, Kiswahili speakers) who were Christian.

[CarGirl]

Sukie it a wonderful name, my first guinea pig was called it.

[MeAndMyMonkey]

I think Suki (Sukey?) is v cute actually, but I wouldn't listen to me as I had to be talked out of names like Gigi, Clover, Mimi, and even Bunty (gulp!) for my own dd.

[hana]

gawd, surely people are entitled to use whatever name they wish for their children, of course we shouldn't be limited to our own cultural heritage

[CoteDAzur]

Islam established its presence in the East African coast from around 1012 AD, when the traders from the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula continued to journey to these parts during monsoon seasons and to interact with the local people through trade, intermarriage, and an exchange of ideas. Because of this interaction, most of the Swahili today are Muslim. The unifying force of Islam consolidated into an amalgam of otherwise different ethnicities and provided an enduring common identity for many of the people in coastal East Africa. The Swahili follow a very strict and orthodox form of Islam.

From Wikipedia, for those of us who need convincing.

[giddly]

Why so agressive?

What I meant was it is now adopted into another culture and language which is certainly not synonomous with Islam (though obviously has some shared roots).
Both my daughter and I have "christian" names of Hebrew origin. Is it OK that I'm not jewish? How far back does it have to have adopted by your own culture? My other daughters name is actually of Scandinavian origin, and we certainly have no ties to the region. It's now in common usage in the UK, same as Layla / Leila.

I can certainly understand how some names may cause offence if used unthinkingly, but can't see that Layla is one of them.

[MannyMoeAndJack]

This is the story that inspired Eric Clapton to write, 'Layla': en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layla_and_Majnun

I think the song has made the name Layla a little more familiar to Western ears but in a similar way, I guess if you weren't Muslim, then you probably wouldn't call your ds Mohammed?

[NotQuiteCockney]

Hmm, but many speakers of Kiswahili are not Swahili. Much as many speakers of English are not English.

Although only 5-10 million people speak it as their native language,[1] Swahili is a lingua franca of much of East Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a national or official language of four nations, and is the only language of African origin among the official working languages of the African Union.

Wikipedia again, only it's the article about the language, rather than the people.

[ja9]

my cat was called suki. I thought it was a really cool name...

( for a cat lol)

[CoteDAzur]

Laila means 'dark night' and is used for girls born in the night, or those with a dark complexion.

I realize that this name is a bit of a fad in the UK at the moment, but blond little English girls named Laila, or even Lila, look very strange. It is like French kids named Jenifer [sic] or Steeve [sic].

[hana]

well - perhaps look strange to you. The world is no longer black and white.......

[CoteDAzur]

Layla is a Muslim name. Swahili are predominantly Muslim, and they have the name Layla.

What seems to be the problem?

[NotQuiteCockney]

Names get borrowed, just like words. It's how it goes. I know an English girl called Blaise (it's a boy's name, or at least, it is in French). People seem to cope.

[blackhawk]

CoteDAzur, you're the only one who seems to have the issue here?

Layla has muslim origins, but not everyone called Layla is muslim. It's also a very popular american name.

[Sazisi]

It suks
cool for cats though

[giddly]

Thinks change. Surely part of the advantage (or infact an inevitable part )of multiculturalism / globalisation is that aspects of one culture are assimilated into another. As long as it is done is a respectful manner, how is this wrong?

[CoteDAzur]

giddly - If you are so sensitive to the tone of posts on MN, you probably shouldn't start your replies with "Why on earth...".

[ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween]

Makes me think "sulky" for some reason.

[Starbear]

Cool cat name, I had a cat called Suki. Baby nickname for a kid. My DS is called BooBoo Bear so was my sadly long departed dog
Layla fab name. Boyfriends can play Eric Clapton in her bedroom and you can march up because you know what's going to happen next

[giddly]

Is that what's upset you, CDA? If so I apologise.
I just have to admit the idea that we all need to stick to our own cultures and norms a bit offensive, which is how I saw it. Sorry if I was over-analysing.

[Starbear]

CoteDAzur, what tosh! It's a nice name. Linda means beautiful in Spanish ITS an ENGLISH name. We are four kids and have a mixture of Muslim and Spanish names my brother will answer to Yusuf, Jose, Joseph and Joe. At least it's not a bizzare made up name that no one can say or pronounce

[CoteDAzur]

There is no right and wrong in the realm of names, is there? It is all about what one's parents aspired to, or thought (or didn't, as the case may be) was best for their child.

My point was that Layla is a Muslim name. Most people who look at her child's name on a piece of paper will think she is Muslim. She will be profiled at every airport, for example. If OP is happy with that, it is her choice. Nothing 'wrong' about it.

[MrsMattie]

Maybe they'll think of the Eric Clapton song? Just like lots of people will think 'dead R&B star' at the name Aaliyah, rather than 'Muslim'. names have all sorts of connotations for all sorts of people. I wouldn't name my child because of how it would be 'profiled' at Heathrow!