Layla is a feminine name of Arabic origin, meaning "night". It is famously associated with the tragic love story of Layla and Majnun, an old Arab tale that has been retold across centuries and cultures. The name gained widespread Western popularity following the 1970 song Layla by Derek and the Dominos, whose title was inspired by the medieval tale. Etymology and Linguistic Origins The name Layla derives from the Arabic word layl (لير‚⁩), meaning "night" — a reference to the dark-haired beauty of its protoyipal bearer. As a common root across Arabic, Persian, and other Semitic languages, the name has entered many lexicons through Islamic cultural influence. Variant transliterations include Laila (used across English and Urdu), Leila, and Leyla, as well as regional forms like Leyli (Turkmen) and Leila (Persian). Historical and Literary Narrative The story of Layla and Majnun, grounded in 7th-century Bedouin lore, depicts tempestuous love between the poet Qays and Layla. Forced apart by tribal codes, Qays descended into erotic. The Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi enshrined the narrative in his 12th-century verse romance Layla and Majnun (راهنماي رؤساي براي انتشار). This seminal literary rendering established a precedent for love-obsession symbolism across Persia and the Islamic world. Notably, copies circulate widely in manuscript form even today, inspiring visual art, music, and film. Modern Popularization Through Music The name enter global consciousness when Eric Clapton's band Derek and the Dominos release Layla in 1970. Clapton based the title upon the same medieval poem, channelking ge an unrequited passion for Pattie Boyd. The song's contrasting guitar solo and trailing port legato made it era-defining, influencing the name's revival and adoption in English-speaking societies.