What's in a Name?

The decision to name our daughter Layla was actually made before she was even conceived.

It started with a love for music. All music really. And the casual introduction (by my father) to Eric Clapton when I was a child. I remember the first chords I heard Eric play...I was instantly enamored. He opened my eyes--well, ears--to other guitar-playing geniuses like Stevie Ray Vaughn.

So when I learned we were pregnant (after the initial shock and paralyzing fear wore off), I knew our child would bear the name of a great musician or one of their creations. My only dilemma was which legend's namesake would be carried on.

Before we knew the sex, we tried to fit Marley on as a middle name to the first names we'd chosen. But soon we learned that we'd been blessed with a little girl...and it hit us: Holiday.

Layla Holiday.

It sounded perfect to us and held so much meaning: the first name taken from the first Eric Clapton song I fell in love with...the song that initiated a chain reaction leading to a love affair with great guitarists. I've also read (somewhere) that Layla means "dark beauty". The middle name combining both my mother's name (Hollie) and one of my absolute favorite singers...An icon. A legend. We were sold and didn't give it another moment's contemplation.

The fun part was telling our family and friends. However, we quickly learned that our taste was not shared by...well...anyone else! We got responses like, "Holiday huh?" and "...that's interesting" (which we all know is a nice way of saying "what the hell?!") or--my personal fav-- "You still have plenty of time to change your mind".

Initially, I was kind of crushed. How could people not love that beautiful homage?! Admittedly, we even tossed out the option of changing it and going with something totally safe, yet gorgeous, like Layla Marie... And yet, I was puzzled and torn between wanting people to embrace it and love it as we do (complete with the "oh my gosh that's beautiful" that I'd expected), and deciding not to give a crap what anybody thinks...

Currently, we're turning more towards the latter...but occassionally I still feel a tinge of wonder...

WHAT DO YOU THINK: change it to the safer Layla Marie...or keep the music to my ears that is Layla Holiday?






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