Names That Mean Night

Night names are soft and poetic, and nearly all of them come from one root. Layla is the Arabic word for night, and it is the heroine of the classic Arabic and Persian love story Layla and Majnun, a tale retold for centuries in poetry and song. From it come Laila, Leila, Leyla, Laylah, Lailah and Leilah, and Lyla and Lylah are English-influenced forms. Lila is often linked to the same group, though it also has Sanskrit and other roots.

Lilith is a figure from Mesopotamian and later Jewish folklore, often connected to the Hebrew word for night. The name has a dark, mysterious feel that some parents find appealing and others avoid, so it is worth reading about before you choose it. Lillith is a variant spelling.

For boys, Tariq is an Arabic name meaning night visitor or morning star, the title of a chapter of the Quran. It has a strong, crisp sound. With so many spellings of Layla, consider which one is easiest for your family. The standard form is widely recognized, while a variant can make the name feel more personal but will often need to be spelled out.