She’s fading into obscurity, but a creative genius combined with a very current sound could make her a great option for a modern girl.
Thanks to Tracy for suggesting Twila as our Baby Name of the Day, and thanks to all who voted for her in this weekend’s poll!
I find it hard to hear Twyla without automatically adding Tharp, as in Twyla Tharp, a ground-breaking innovator in the world of dance. While at Barnard in the early 1960s, Tharp studied art history – but also dance, under Martha Graham and other leading artists. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1963, and broke out to establish her own company just two years later. The rest is history. Tharp has racked up every kind of award imaginable and …
The story of her unusual first name is well known. Tharp was born in Indiana in 1941. Her expectant parents visited the Muncie Fair, where Miss Twila Thornburg had been crowned Pig Princess. Creative names ran in the family. Her mother’s name was Lecile, and her younger sister was Twanette. Some reports indicate that Lecile changed the spelling from Twila to Twyla because Twyla would look better on a marquee, but both spellings were in use in the 1940s.
Twila was a Top 1000 name from 1880 through 1970, and Twyla charted from 1925 through 1965. Neither was ever wildly popular, but that’s a steady history of use, sufficient to produce lots of notable women by the name, including:
- Ohio politician Twyla Roman.
- Songwriter, and long-time collaborator with Lou Christie, Twyla Herbert. Among their many hits? “Egyptian Shumba” by the Tammys and the oft-covered “Lightning Strikes.”
- If you follow the Adult Contemporary Christian charts, you’ll recognize Twila Paris, who fared especially well int he 1980s and 90s.
- Twila Tanner was a runner-up on the granddaddy of reality shows, Survivor, back in 2004.
- Here’s my favorite: All-American Girls Professional Baseball Leaguer Twila Shively, once called the “Hedy Lamarr of softball.”
There’s more than one possible origin for Twila:
- She could be based on the word twilight, or possibly the French word for star – étoile.
- Then there’s the possibility that twy shares origins with the word two. Several sources say that she means double-stitched, or strong. Alternately, the same idea could be reached through twile – a Middle English word that became our word twill – woven with double thread.
- Could it be that Twila was embraced for children of mixed racial backgrounds? This thread is tantalizing.
Look at the US Top 1000 today, and you’ll find plenty of ends-in-yla options: Lyla (#134), Lila (#155), Delilah (#187), Kyla (#255), Lilah (#331), Nyla (#405), Myla (#511), Skyla (#559), and more.
All of this means that Twila and Twyla occupy one of those curious spaces. She’s got a trendy sound, but her associations make for the kind of modern moniker likely to appeal to parents fretting that Olive is over-exposed. Alexa at Flotsam is naming her new daughter Twyla, a little sister for Simone. If you’re looking a name that has an artsy, edgy vibe without being truly, eye-poppingly strange, Twila should make your list.
I love my name. I am one of the only Twilas I know. Only a few much older ppl have said “I knew a Twila in school” I think I may be the youngest one lol. I get compliments all the time on my name. BTW I am a well paid artists so good call the “artsy and edgy” comment. I keep trying to get this name to spread a little. But it’s ok If it doesn’t Twilas are unique and truely one of a kind.
Had to comment regarding the Twilight series. Unfortunately, yes, that is people’s first thought when they heard my name now! =( Used to be people asked if my parents were hippies. Not anymore. Its honestly making me dread telling people my name, whereas I used to really enjoy the reactions since it is so unpopular right now.
I just discovered Twila / Twyla, and like it for all the reasons you described. She sounds artsy, and fits right in, but is hardly ever used. She also has trendy astrological origins. The Twila spelling peaked in the 1930’s, and I personally like a lot of names from that period.
To me, Twila is sort of like Farrah. Both names are unusual in usage, but don’t have an unusual sound.
I prefer Twila, which I would seriously consider if I was to have any more kids. Twila seems elegant and vintage and is obviously connected to the word Twilight, which is a nice time of day.
Twyla looks a little forced to me, and also peaked in the 1960’s, making it seem too retro for my tastes. But as you pointed out, Myla, Kyla, Lyla, Nyla, and Skyla are all in the top 1000 indicating a market for -yla ending names.
Funny, I see Twila and my brain says, “But Twyla Tharp spelled it with a y!” But I agree with you about Twila/Farrah … great names that unusual but not weird.
I am a Twila, born in 1962. I was named Twila because I was born at 12:36 am, which is considered the “twilight” hour. It is pronounced with a long i. I am proud that I have had the name long before the twilight series although I don’t mind that people relate the name to it. The only thing that annoys me about it is that even the most educated people don’t understand how to pronounce it. Lets think about this, how many people would name their little girl so that it sounded like a variation of a string (Twilla)? Of course it won’t sound pretty with a short I. If I wrote it with two L’s, yes, call me Twilla. Otherwise isn’t it obvious that it is a long I? I typically praise anyone that says it correctly because it is rare that anyone does. I was erased as a child about my name and I hated it. I now appreciate that is different. ❤️
I am a Twila born in 1940. I hated my name as a child as it was so odd. Now I love it. People still call me Twilla and I am sure to correct them as it upsets me they can’t read the lone L. My mother said she just liked the name. Was looking on here to see what the name means.
I have a real soft spot for Twila. With the popularity of the Twilight franchise, I’m surprised I’ve not seen more of it.
Honestly, this is one of the “hick-iest” names ever to me. I just don’t like the sound at all.
I love Twila. I read somewhere that Twila is actually a Cajun name, being a kind of bastardization of the French, Etoile, which you have already mentioned.
I have a neighbor who is both Cajun and something of a name nerd … I keep meaning to ask if that one is true, but I haven’t had a second. Which reminds me, if their last child had been a girl, their top name pick was Ayla, rhymes with Twyla …
I was given a Twila Paris cassette tape while younger and was completely fascinated by her name. It’s not an appellation that would ever go on my lists of favourites, but I’d love for its use to become more widespread. The information you provided about possible meanings is fascinating.
The name looks pretty, but how do you pronounce it? Hard i or soft i?
Long I, because there is only one L. If it were short I you would have two L’s. Like twill. I know because my name is Twila and I have had the name for 53 years.
Amen. Had mine for 77 years and it’s a shame more people don”t know what they learned in school. I am Twila, not “Twilla” which sounds to me like I’m a bird.
Twila/Twyla was a favorite of mine until the Twilight franchise hit. Now I wonder if people would link the name with the books and movies. Still, it makes for an interesting choice, and the letter T is rather underused.
Nice name, sort of has a whimsical feel to it but it sort of, loosely reminds me of the name Tuala (means princess of the people) which I first heard in a book. In my head throughout the book I pronounced it Twa la, yet when researched it was Too a la which is a pity because I really liked it. ^^
It is Tw eye lah.