BBB wisdom desperately needed for baby name!

[misshollygolightly]

Ok, DH and I are wringing our hands trying to decide on a name for our baby girl, due June 13 (and likely arriving a bit earlier)! We just can NOT decide, so DH consented to consult the infallible wisdom of the BBB. So here is the situation:
1) we're having a girl
1) our last name is a single syllable and starts with the letter "R"
2) we've already settled on the middle name, Grace
3) the overall sound and general impression of the name is most important to DH, but I'm really big on names having significance or meaning

We've narrowed it down to a couple of names we like pretty well, but we can't seem to agree or commit to just one of them. DH likes Lila best, and I agree that it sounds really nice, but it doesn't have any deep significance for us (and technically it's short for Delilah, not the greatest Biblical character ever). I really like Margot (which means Pearl, the birthstone for the month of June), and I like that the name is pretty unusual and kinda funky.

My all-time top choice for the name is Annalivia (or Anna Livia, as a double first name)--it's got a ton of significance for me/us as it's a Joycean character name (I'm a James Joyce scholar), it refers to the Anna Livia section in Joyce's Finnegan's Wake (which is pretty much universally considered to be the most beautiful prose-poem in the English language), it's a variant on the Irish name for the River Liffey that runs through Dublin (and in the original language, the name means "River of Life", which is kind of awesome), and finally I just think it's a beautiful name. Plus, it's an unusual name without being totally bizarre (Anna is common enough, and Livia is the name of Colin Firths' wife, for example). DH just isn't crazy about it...doesn't like it much. And I concede that I sound like I total nerd when I start talking about it, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And I think Anna Livia Grace R--- sounds lovely! But I'm also ok with either Margot or Lila. At this point, I just want to decide on something! HELP!

[crl]

I like Livia Grace R.

(Fwiw, our solution when we could not agree on any of the names on the short list was to come up with an entirely new name. ;). )

Catherine

[mom2one]

I just vote for Anna Livia Grace. It does sound lovely. Not real crazy about the other two. Don't hate me for saying this, but Margot makes me think maggot every time.

[DietCokeLover]

I'm biased. My dd is Lila. And, for significance, it is a derivative of Lilac and means sweet aroma which I think is beautiful.

[LMPC]

It sounds like Annalivia/Anna Livia would mean a great deal to you if you chose it. And it's a gorgeous name! So win-win. I do think it's going to be one of those names that she goes through life having to spell for people. Not a deal breaker IMO.

So that's my .02 :)

[daisymommy]

Annalivia Grace is beautiful, but with a last name--what a mouthful really. I think it would be hard to learn to say and spell for a child, and just is really long.

Definitely not a fan of Margot. I'm sorry! It sounds snooty to me, and reminds me of that other m word someone mentioned.

So I voted for Lila :) It flows nicely with Grace and your last name.

[Karinyc]

Annalivia Grace is beautiful, but with a last name--what a mouthful really. I think it would be hard to learn to say and spell for a child, and just is really long.

Definitely not a fan of Margot. I'm sorry! It sounds snooty to me, and reminds me of that other m word someone mentioned.

So I voted for Lila :) It flows nicely with Grace and your last name.

:yeahthat:

[MotownMom]

Hmmm, I think the fact that your last name is one syllable helps a more complex name like "Annalivia" work. Your daughter is not going to say the "Grace" every time she introduces herself, right? You are not going to actually call her "Annalivia Grace", I hope.

If your last name is something really simple/easy to spell (like "Ross"), then for sure go with Annalivia. I would NOT split it into 2 names. Would make it seem like she has 2 middle names.

Not a great fan of Margot, but I do think "Charlotte Grace" would be a really nice name (and just happens to be my if-my-soon-to-be-adopted-baby-is-a-girl name!).

[rin]

Oh, I LOVE Margot! I don't think it sounds at all like "maggot", and I think it's super pretty and old-fashioned sounding without being stuffy.

I think, though, that if you really love Anna Livia Grace, you should go for it. It's a beautiful name and if for some reason she doesn't like it she can always go by Anna.

[Snow mom]

I like your explanation for Annalivia but have to admit I don't like the name at all. It's too much/ too long/ too many "a". I think it's too much even with a simple last name or no middle name. I voted Lila, which goes really nicely with your chosen middle name.

[ha98ed14]

Sound-wise, I like Lilah Grace the best. BUT you like Anna Livia, so you should use it. If you use it, I'd consider dropping the Grace unless you spell Anna Livia together as one word. I dunno why, but Anna Livia Grace Reed (I'm pretending I know your lastname) looks pretentious to me. But Analivia Grace doesn't. No logic to it.

I also think if you spell them separately, you are going to spend a lot of time correcting people from calling her just Anna. And then you are going to sound pretentious because you are going to be "that mom" correcting everyone on how to say her daughter's unusual/ slightly complicated/ longer/ more-effort-to-say name. (Sorry, I know that will probably get me flamed. DD has a traditional, but not super common name. We spelled it a little differently, but it's phonetic spelling so no one ever mispronounces it.)

So given all that, I would go with Analivia Grace Reed. I think that's nice. When written together, I like the way it looks with one "n" better than two. JMO, not humble, but there you go. Both Lilah and Analivia are nice names, so you really cannot go wrong with either.

[scrooks]

Annalivia Grace is beautiful, but with a last name--what a mouthful really. I think it would be hard to learn to say and spell for a child, and just is really long.

Definitely not a fan of Margot. I'm sorry! It sounds snooty to me, and reminds me of that other m word someone mentioned.

So I voted for Lila :) It flows nicely with Grace and your last name.

:yeahthat: also not a Margot fan.

[ha98ed14]

:yeahthat: also not a Margot fan.

I like the sound of Mar-go, but not the appearance of the spelling Margot. I agree, magot comes to mind. But if you wanna be super fru-fru, what about Margaux? I like that even tho my Midwestern sensibility would never let me use it.

[TwinFoxes]

I like Lila Grace. It sounded familiar to me, so i googled. Apparently it's an Etsy seller (who cares?) and Kate Moss' daughter's name (eh, who cares again!). I'm not sure which one rang a bell for me. I think it flows very nicely. I don't care for AnnaLivia, sorry. Margot is ok, but kind of 70s to me.

[Pyrodjm]

I'm pretty sure that if you use Anna Livia as a double first name, she will be called Anne Olivia often. And probably it will be written out that way too, unless you spell it. When I said those two names together, that's exactly what it sounded like. Since Olivia is so popular now anyway, I would assume that was her name if I just heard it aloud.

[katydid1971]

I have a dear dear friend named Margot and I voted for it but after thinking about it a few minutes I want to change my vote to Annalivia (one word or people will call her Anna). I love the name Margot and its one of my top 10 names but I know my friend is constantly called "Margaret" or "Mar Got". Plus you have such strong feelings about the name Annalivia that it should be the name you use. The more I say it, the more I like it. Although I think Lila is a pretty name, its starting to get common and I think that Annalivia would be cool especially with all the meaning it has to you. (FWIW I named my DD after Beth from Little Women)

[hellokitty]

I like the first name, but it seems to me like you are in love with the last name. I am totally not a fan of Margot, b/c my name is very similar and it is basically considered an old lady name and even though it is, 'classic' nobody can frickin' spell my name.

[toby]

I didn't put in a vote, but since you agree on Grace as a middle name, would you consider using it as a first?

Grace Lila
Grace Annalivia

One poster mentioned Margo....I do like this better than Margot.

[Jo..]

I like Lila Grace. It just has a much nicer sound than the other two names.

I named my daughter Leah Grace, knowing full well that the "Hebrew meaning" of the name Leah is "weary". Not good.

However, I recently found this:
The name Leah originates from the Assyrian language and means ruler.

That fits my feisty, smart as a whip little girl MUCH better. Meanings and connotations are subjective. I'd give her a name that sounds pleasant and rolls off the tounge easily.

[momm]

I really like " Annalivia Grace R---"
Esp as it has so much meaning for you.
I don't think it's a mouthful at all - I think it sounds lovely.

Also, I'm sorry but at first glance I read Margot as Maggot, too. Sorry.

Good luck with the delivery and the choosing of the name! :)

[Pear]

Lila is my favorite.

DH and I could not decide on a first name. We had it down to 3 and just couldn't pick. The day DD was born we still had all 3 names. Out she came and as soon as I saw her the name was obvious. I just had to wait until DH and I had a chance to talk. It turns out he had the exact same reaction and we had arrived at the same name. I'm really glad we didn't try to pick just one because I think it would not have been the name we ultimately used and that other choice was definitely wrong for her.

[babyonway]

Oh, I LOVE Margot! I don't think it sounds at all like "maggot", and I think it's super pretty and old-fashioned sounding without being stuffy.

I think, though, that if you really love Anna Livia Grace, you should go for it. It's a beautiful name and if for some reason she doesn't like it she can always go by Anna.

:yeahthat:

[AustenFan]

Can I vote, knowing your last name? Since it is impossible to misspell or mispronounce, you have a little bit more leeway with a "trickier" first name.

I love that Annalivia has real significance to you and has the literary origins (as soon as you mentioned the source, I went from iffy to liking it). But she is probably not going to go by that full 5 syllable name all the time, right? What would Jonah call her? (Tommy couldn't say Elizabeth when she was born, and Elizabeth can't say Susanna--and everyone else seems to call the girls by the nicknames they hear their siblings calling them, as hard as I try to keep their full names. It's a good thing I like their nicknames, or I'd be constantly correcting people.) Do you have a shortened form that you'd be just as happy about if people used a nickname in the early years? Is that what DH would call her?

I'm all about naming children after the literature you love (nerdy or not!), but I also love Lila, and it seems to flow well with Jonah. I had a friend with that name growing up who was really sweet and graceful, so I'd probably go with that one personally because of the positive connotations. Haha, I guess that wasn't as helpfully decisive as I thought! Maybe it's a good thing I'm not there in person to waffle while you both promote your preferred name.:)

[cheri]

I have an Anna Grace (we use both names for her) and an Olivia :)

And I love Annalivia Grace!

[Puddy73]

I love Lila Grace because Lilah was my #1 choice for DD2 but I couldn't convince DH to agree. However, Annalivia seems very important to you and it sounds like you may regret not using it.

[randomkid]

Why doesn't your DH like the name that you love? Does he think it's too long? Is Grace an absolute for a middle name? If not, maybe you could just go with Anna Livia as first and middle, but still call her that. DD has had 2 or 3 friends that are called a double name all the time- their first and middle.

Having said that, I do agree with a PP that she might be called Anna Olivia a lot. I think Analivia is a good alternate spelling. Not as long, easier for a child to spell and when seen written, seems less likely to be mispronounced - maybe because there are fewer letters in the name? I know your DD will not be a child forever, but I do think how difficult the name is for a child to spell should be considered. My friend at work has a long last name and her Kindergartener still has trouble with it.

I'd vote for Analivia Grace with that spelling even though it is not an exact translation of its source. My second choice would be Lila Grace, but I really do like Analivia.

To me, it doesn't matter what the older DC call the baby. They will learn the name eventually. My DD had trouble with even simple names, but now at 6yo she can say them all correctly.

[mom2one]

I love Margot spelled Margo. Much better.

[dec756]

Lilia Grace. i voted other. love the name lilia. :)

[indigo99]

I also think if you spell them separately, you are going to spend a lot of time correcting people from calling her just Anna.

:yeahthat:
If you go with that option then I would drop the Grace or use the first two together as one name. My husband ha 4 names total, and legally dropped the 3rd. There is just never anywhere to put it on forms, and it confuses everyone. Together, it makes a REALLY long first name though. I think that some forms still only have 7 or 8 spaces for first names.

[MMMommy]

Voted for Lila Grace. I think Lila Grace is a pretty name, and it just flows nicely. Sorry, but I don't like Margot b/c it sounds very old lady to me. When I hear that name, I picture a 60 year old frumpy lady.

[lmintzer]

I like Lila Grace. Annalivia is interesting. We know a girl named Annalena. She uses her whole name, no shortened version).

[Drag0nflygirl]

My vote is for Lila. Go figure...:love5:

[Tenasparkl]

Those are all such beautiful names. I love Margot! So beautiful. Lila and Grace have both become so popular and the combo seems very current to me. Not bad, just popular. I love that the third name has so much meaning for you. Any of them would be great choice.

[goldenpig]

All pretty names! I voted for Lila Grace but it does seem a bit common. However, I do also worry that Anna Livia will always be mistaken as Anne Olivia. I admit I haven't read any James Joyce, but if your DH isn't crazy about Anna Livia and you want a James Joyce name, how about Nora or Eveline? (Just did a cursory Google search).
Nora Grace
Eveline Grace (nickname Evie)--I think this one is gorgeous!
http://www.enotes.com/eveline

[towerner]

I really like Anna Livia and your reasons for liking it. I also wanted to let you know about a website I used to be on ALL the time: www.babynamewizard.com
If you go into the comments section of the most recent blog posting, you can pose questions to the name enthusiasts there. They are Great at providing feedback and alternate name suggestions (if you want them, otherwise they'll just give feedback). During my pregnancies I would split my online time evenly between that board and this one. I'm slowly weaning myself off that board.
Congrats and good luck picking a name. All of your options are beautiful, so you really can't go wrong.

[misshollygolightly]

Thanks for all of the thoughtful comments--feel free to keep posting! DH and I will read through them all together tonight and see if we're swayed towards one choice or another. Naming is so subjective and of course everyone has different positive and negative associations for different names, but it's helpful to get some feedback from "outsiders" since DH and I feel like we just keep rehashing the same list of pros/cons for each choice. I'll certainly let you know when we reach a decision (which, as several of you pointed out, may not be until we're holding her in our arms)! Anyway, thanks for being such a great sounding board :D

Oh, and to answer a few questions, we are open to different spellings of these names, but we're 100% certain about the middle name being Grace (it's a family name). Also, even though we're living in the Midwest now, we have lots of Southern connections and are generally comfortable with the idea of a double first name (like Anna Livia). Double names are much more common in the South, but I agree with those of you who pointed out that double names can be a hassle on paperwork, etc.

[megs4413]

Personally, I think you sound so in love with the name Annalivia that you should just go for it. No, it's not going to get the most votes on here. Yes, it is going to confuse people and create spelling hassles...but you LOVE it. If those "problems" turn out to be real problems, you can just call her Anna. You only get to do this once...go with your heart.

Both my children have "compromise" names and I regret, regret, regret it. HTH!

[artvandalay]

I have a friend who just named her daughter Margot.... I think it's adorable!

[amldaley]

I think all three of your choices are lovely!

Just some thoughts...

Lila is certainly more common that either of the other two, if that matters one way or the other to you. Sounds similar to Lily which is also currently popular.

Margot is beautiful and classic. Very sophisticated name. What nickname would you use? I also like the repeatative G in Margot Grace.

I really love Anna Livia. What about hyphenating it? Anna-Livia. Ok, I am biased. Clearly, I have an Anna-name. Mine is Anna-Mxxxx Lxxxxx Last name. It is long, as Anna Livia Grace would be but it really isn't cumbersome. Long names are okay so long as they flow and Anna Livia Grace really flows. Plus, your enthusiasm for the name is infectious. I could not help but feel enthusiasm for it after reading the background. It is a shame that your DH does not really dig it. Is he totally opposed or still open to it?

[artvandalay]

I also like the repeatative G in Margot Grace.



You're right... I really like how Margot Grace sounds together.

[WatchingThemGrow]

What about Margaux Grace? The Anna-Livia Grace Rxxx sounds fine to me also.

[Clarity]

I'm biased. My dd is Lila.

:yeahthat: Lila IS getting more popular, I think. But I love it and it's not too popular. Yet.

[indigo99]

Also, even though we're living in the Midwest now, we have lots of Southern connections and are generally comfortable with the idea of a double first name (like Anna Livia). Double names are much more common in the South, but I agree with those of you who pointed out that double names can be a hassle on paperwork, etc.

I've been in the south since I was 3, and they are traditionally more common here. I have to say that I have known very, very few (can't think of any at the moment) actual people who used two names though. Lots of people just have first and middle names that can be used together like Lisa Marie and Nancy Beth. Personally, I just think that the cons outweigh the pros in having 4 names (dual first name).

[ChristinaLucia]

I love Margot!

2nd would be Annalivia

[MontrealMum]

My vote would either be for Lila Grace or Annalivia. I can't get past the connection of the name Margot with historical person. If you're a literary scholar, you've probably read La reine Margot and know what I'm talking about.

[KpbS]

I like the name Margot. I know a little girl named Margot and she is sweet. I also like the spelling Margaux--even better!

I typed Lila and Margot into nymbler and got several suggestions
Grace (interesting!)
Maya
Violet
Amelia
Charlotte

hth!

[sweet_pea]

I voted Margot Grace, but would spell it "Margo."

[sste]

I don't know if name popularity matters to you and I don't know the official rank but Lila is very popular in the demograpic to which I am pretty sure you belong and becoming more so. Very popular. Plus many Lilies out there which I consider a variant.

Would you be happy if the child/others decided to call your daughter Anna? I agree that Annalivia is going to just be too much on the playground, for very young children to pronounce, etc and it is highly likely your daughter will at some point ask people to call her Anna. But, I really like Anna first name Livia second name. I know this involves cutting Grace but I think it is a worthwhile cut and it also "saves" Grace for another daughter - - you never know what life will throw at you and I personally regret "blowing" some absolute favorite names as middle names. Anyway, with "Anna first name Livia middle name" the name has the meaning to you (and I think that is an absolutely great story about choosing the name and its significance to you). You are free to call her Anna Livia as are other family. Which makes it kind of private and family and special. But, her first name "Anna" is not too unwieldy. Plus, I love, love, love the Anna and would count it as one of my top five favorite girl names.

I like but don't love Margot but I love Maeve - - any Joyce ties to Maeve?

[dcmom2b3]

I voted for Annalivia or Anna Livia. I think that it's a beautiful name, unusual, and it has such rich cultural/literary references and a mama who's passionate about it.

More than the "meaning" of the name, its important, IMO, for the child's name to have a story that's rooted in her family's life. Joyce is a part of you, I think that she'd enjoy knowing how passionate you are about your work, her name, and what it means to you. Bunny loves the connection that was conferred in her name, and loves hearing stories about the "other 'E'" and how she's such a meaningful and loved member of the family.

The name also has lots of easy options for her, if she (not saying she will) wants to deviate when she's older. If she so chooses, she can go by Anna, or Livia, or A-L (not that I'm partial to two-letter nicknames . . .).

[longtallsally05]

So here is the situation:
1) we're having a girl
1) our last name is a single syllable and starts with the letter "R"
2) we've already settled on the middle name, Grace
3) the overall sound and general impression of the name is most important to DH, but I'm really big on names having significance or meaning

...My all-time top choice for the name is Annalivia (or Anna Livia, as a double first name)--it's got a ton of significance for me/us as it's a Joycean character name (I'm a James Joyce scholar), it refers to the Anna Livia section in Joyce's Finnegan's Wake (which is pretty much universally considered to be the most beautiful prose-poem in the English language), it's a variant on the Irish name for the River Liffey that runs through Dublin (and in the original language, the name means "River of Life", which is kind of awesome), and finally I just think it's a beautiful name. Plus, it's an unusual name without being totally bizarre (Anna is common enough, and Livia is the name of Colin Firths' wife, for example). DH just isn't crazy about it...doesn't like it much. And I concede that I sound like I total nerd when I start talking about it, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And I think Anna Livia Grace R--- sounds lovely! But I'm also ok with either Margot or Lila. At this point, I just want to decide on something! HELP!

It is obvious that you have very strong feelings about the name Annalivia/Anna Livia because of your academic background. I doubt your DH feels as strongly about Lila as you do about Annalivia/Anna Livia. May I suggest that you ditch Grace and just go with Anna Livia? Anna Livia would be much more likely for people to spell correctly than Annalivia. There are tons of little girls running around with the name "something-or-other Grace", but I've never met an Anna Livia. It would sound good with your last name, too. I think your DH would come around. My children have four names (two of them are surnames), and for some stupid reason people get their names mixed up all the time (to the point that when filling out forms, I put their two surnames, followed by their first and middle names). To make it worse, one of their surnames (DH's surname) is unusual and people misspell it ALL THE TIME (yes, even on our marriage license). People also get confused about two middle names. My cousin, who has two middle names, told me that her birth certificate didn't match her HS & college diplomas (they left off the second middle name), so when she applied for her professional license it was kind of a mess to get it straightened out and prove who she was & that she had the right credentials. It is a total PITA to have to spell your name for people over & over again, because many of them will get it wrong anyway. I'm not sure why people stumble so badly over unusual spellings and four names vs. three, but my goodness, do they ever! Thus, my vote is for Anna Livia, and not AnnaLivia Grace.

[Kungjo]

How about Livia Grace? Sounds very pretty. It's a shorten version of the Anna Livia Grace that you like. I like that better than Lila Grace.

[marge234]

If the baby will have DH's last name, I say go for the Joycean thing you love for the first name. Sometimes it helps to wait until you meet to decide. GL!

[bubbaray]

How negative is your DH about Annalivia? I really love that name, but if its a deal breaker with both of you, can you compromise?

What about other Anna- names?

ETA: I don't particularly like Margo/Margot/Margaux.

[bubbaray]

Sometimes it helps to wait until you meet to decide. GL!


:yeahthat:

DH and I were sure we were going to name DD#2 a particular name. Well, she did NOT look like that name when she was born, so we made that name her 2nd name and gave her a very different 1st name. Her name totally suits her. Her first name is one that we found out later (when I was going through some baby stuff) that we had rejected for her sister. So interesting, because we think their names totally suit them.

[american_mama]

I know several girls with double first names, and it does not seem like people shorten to just the first name, so I think you could promote Annalivia as one name no matter how you spell it.

I voted Margot. I like that it's unusual and sounds like a classy and smart person to me. Margo is another simpler spelling, along with Margeaux or Margaux, as someone else mentioned. Anything except Margo would be a tad hard for a child just learning to spell and read, because it has so many silent letters, but that is a short phase in a child's life and perhaps not important when choosing a name that lasts a lifetime.

Do you like Laila or Layla at all? It's a lot like Lila, although it is a popular name around here in case you were trying to avoid popular. Do you like Joyce, nickname Joy as a first name because of the James Joyce connection?

[HonoluluMom]

Annalivia Grace is beautiful, but with a last name--what a mouthful really. I think it would be hard to learn to say and spell for a child, and just is really long.

Definitely not a fan of Margot. I'm sorry! It sounds snooty to me, and reminds me of that other m word someone mentioned.

So I voted for Lila :) It flows nicely with Grace and your last name.

:yeahthat:

[AnnieW625]

I like Lila Grace. I do also like Margot though. I like the following names with Grace as middle name:
Jennifer (we briefly thought about this for DD2, but decided on Lauren and went with Christine as the middle name)
Sarah

I like Anna without the Livia though, but honestly you need to go with the name that you like and if AnnaLivia won't be a mouthfull as a first name then I would go for it.

[WolfpackMom]

I think Lila Grace flows the best, but I agree with others and maybe you should wait until you have a look at her in person to decide. Good luck! :)

[Drag0nflygirl]

:yeahthat: Lila IS getting more popular, I think. But I love it and it's not too popular. Yet.

Everyone keeps saying Lila is popular - so I had to look. It's 217 on Baby Center. My spelling - Lilah - is 487. Not that I think the spelling makes any difference in this case. I was just curious.

[MommytoEliana]

I think Analivia (or however you choose to spell it) Grace R___ sounds beautiful, especially since you have a one-syllable last name. It flows perfectly, with or without actually saying Grace as the middle name. Yes, it's a long name, but I personally love multisyllable names, and this one is not overwhelming. Plus Livi or Livie as a nickname if you chose to use it is really sweet. If you love the name, and you obviously do, I think you'll regret not using it.

My second choice would be Lila, but spelled Leila. Margot is pretty, but I personally don't love the repetition of the hard "g" sound in Margot Grace. I don't think it is as feminine of a name as your other two choices, which may be either a pro or con for you.

Good luck! The name games are hard. We're due in 11 weeks and while I have a strong favorite, DH has nothing that he likes so far. We may end up coming to the BBB for assistance in a few weeks! :-)

[crl]

[/QUOTE]My second choice would be Lila, but spelled Leila. Margot is pretty, but I personally don't love the repetition of the hard "g" sound in Margot Grace. I don't think it is as feminine of a name as your other two choices, which may be either a pro or con for you.

:-)[/QUOTE]

Aren't Lila and Leila two different names? I always thought Lila was pronounce with a short i? As in rhyming with villa? And Leila is with a long a? Like Lay-la.

Catherine

[MommytoEliana]

My second choice would be Lila, but spelled Leila. Margot is pretty, but I personally don't love the repetition of the hard "g" sound in Margot Grace. I don't think it is as feminine of a name as your other two choices, which may be either a pro or con for you.

:-)[/QUOTE]

Aren't Lila and Leila two different names? I always thought Lila was pronounce with a short i? As in rhyming with villa? And Leila is with a long a? Like Lay-la.

Catherine[/QUOTE]

Good point. I guess I assumed that Lila was being pronounced with a long I, whereas Lilla would be with a short I. I think I've heard Leila pronounced both ways (long I and long A), but it could cause confusion for pronunciation. (We have to correct the pronunciation on DS all the time, so I tend to not worry about it too much.)

[amldaley]

The "Lila" I know (who is in her early 40's) is pronounced LIE-lah. The baby "Lila" at DD's daycare are pronounced the same.

If popularity is a concern for you, the best place to search is the Social Secuirty Admin website.

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

It is the official source for recorded names in the US.

In 2010, it was the 155th most popular name given with 1953 "Lila"'s born in the US last year. That was .106% of baby girls born. So, on one hand, it is growing in popularity, but 1/10th of 1% isn't a lot!

It has had a steady climb in the last 10 years rising from #751.

You may also find the chart of similar names (from the SSA site) useful.

Similar female names for births in 2010 Name Rank
Laila 138
Lailah 649
Leia 832
Leila 204
Leilah 997
Leilani 268
Lia 357
Liana 526
Lila 155
Lilah 331
Lilia 876
Lilian 450
Liliana 124
Lilianna 669
Lina 848
Lisa 720

Similar female names for births in 2010 Name Rank
Lillie 453
Lilly 107
Lily 17

(The adult Lila I know is an amazing woman and I think it is a beautiful name, but I am still gunning for a hyphenated Anna-Livia.)

[misshollygolightly]

Thanks everyone! It really is good to get some outside perspective on this. And thanks also for the links to other naming resources (I hadn't thought about the SSA website, for example). DH and I are still mulling it over and may end up waiting until we see her face-to-face, but at least it feels like we're making progress and not just rehashing the same stuff!

[amldaley]

Thanks everyone! It really is good to get some outside perspective on this. And thanks also for the links to other naming resources (I hadn't thought about the SSA website, for example). DH and I are still mulling it over and may end up waiting until we see her face-to-face, but at least it feels like we're making progress and not just rehashing the same stuff!

Curious - I was so fascinated with your baby name thread and had to go back and look at it now that little Margot Grace is here!

Would you mind sharing and telling us how the story ended and how or wht you arrived at Margot Grace? (I really love that name!)

[Melanie]

I like Lila, and it sounds good with Jonah.

[citymama]

I like Lila, and it sounds good with Jonah.

Too late - she's Margot! :boogie:

[Melanie]

LMAO! I should have checked the date. I like Margot, as well. :)