See the results of this poll: Elara VS Lars
Respondents: 59 (This poll is closed)
- Elara Willow Quinn : 37 (63%)
- Lara Willow Quinn: 22 (37%)
[name_f]Lara[/name_f] [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] is my favourite, but then again, all 3 of these names are some of my loves. [name_f]Elara[/name_f] is nice, but anything that can get to [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] is a no from me (I really don’t like [name_f]Ellie[/name_f]).
My favorite is [name_f]Lara[/name_f] [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u].
[name_f]Elara[/name_f] for me. [name_f]Lovely[/name_f] and celestial. 
I prefer [name_f]Elara[/name_f] over [name_f]Lara[/name_f]. I like that she could go by [name_f]Elara[/name_f], [name_f]Elle[/name_f], or [name_f]Lara[/name_f]. A lot more options.
I like [name_f]Elara[/name_f] or [name_f]Laura[/name_f]. [name_f]Lara[/name_f] confuses me.
Thank you for the replies!
Both are fine. They have very different styles to me.
[name_f]Lara[/name_f] was quite popular in the 70s & 80s, so it’ll be more familiar to parents than [name_f]Elara[/name_f], but it’s not very common now. It’s a name that would seem ‘exotic’ to me if it hadn’t been so common when I was in school (I was born in the late 80s).
[name_f]Elara[/name_f]'s never been popular, to the best of my knowledge, and some people might assume it’s an invented name. It’s got history, it’s similar to a familiar name, and the spelling is intuitive, but it feels a bit like a princess from a fantasy novel (which could be good or bad, depending on your naming style).
If you look at Nameberry’s suggestions for Similar Names on the pages for [name_f]Elara[/name_f] and [name_f]Lara[/name_f], you can get a sense of the different styles - [name_f]Lara[/name_f]'s page includes [name_f]Kirsten[/name_f], [name_u]Shannon[/name_u] and [name_f]Janelle[/name_f]; [name_f]Elara[/name_f]'s includes [name_f]Arianwyn[/name_f], [name_f]Calixta[/name_f] and [name_f]Maeva[/name_f] (I’m oversimplifying, of course. The Similar Names do have some overlap in style, but those examples give some idea of their differences).
I prefer [name_f]Elara[/name_f] [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] as a combo, mostly for the syllable pattern (3-2-1)
Thank you for such an in-depth opinion. I really enjoyed reading it and pondering over the ideas.
My partner loves both but favours [name_f]Lara[/name_f] as he likes ‘L’ names. And he his a gamer and one of his favourite games are [name_f]Lara[/name_f] Croft games. I also enjoy the games. [name_f]Elara[/name_f] is favoured by myself due to a mythology connection and now a new favourite book series has the name.
I like the NNs [name_f]Elara[/name_f] can get which includes [name_f]Lara[/name_f] but I also kind of love the more streamlined feel of [name_f]Lara[/name_f]
So we are kind of on the fence
I like both names, but I prefer [name_f]Elara[/name_f] in this case. I feel like it adds to the flow of [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u], whereas [name_f]Lara[/name_f] just sounds abrupt.
I choose [name_f]Lara[/name_f], but I may be biased 
I like [name_f]Elara[/name_f] as well as your NN. She can also use [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], Elare, [name_u]Ara[/name_u]. A name to grow with her!
I’m glad you didn’t find my long reply too much.
I understand the appeal of streamlined names (I like a lot of them), but in this case I feel like [name_f]Elara[/name_f] is the more obvious choice - it gets you both what you want from the name - nn [name_f]Lara[/name_f] (which gets you the TR reference, some mythology via the naiad [name_f]Lara[/name_f]/Larunda, and Dr [name_m]Zhivago[/name_m]), more mythology (Tityos’s mum) , astronomy ([name_m]Jupiter[/name_m]'s moon), more literature (your favourite book), and the possibility of other nicknames if she wants. If she decides she hates video games or [name_f]Lara[/name_f] Croft’s sex-symbol status, she can choose to identify with a different aspect of her name. If she thinks it’s awesome to be named after an arse-kicking archaelogist, she can embrace [name_f]Lara[/name_f] as a nickname.
Of course, if you do go with [name_f]Lara[/name_f] you can always call her [name_f]Elara[/name_f]. If [name_f]Lara[/name_f] were a family name (or if Tomb Raider was really meaningful to you as a couple - if the game helped one of you though trauma or something), I’d suggest doing that.
I think it makes more sense to have the longer name on the birth certificate, though (especially since [name_f]Lara[/name_f] is a diminutive of [name_f]Larisa[/name_f]).
Sorry, it’s another long post!
I prefer [name_f]Lara[/name_f], especially considering it’s one of your preferred nicknames in the case you were to name her [name_f]Elara[/name_f] anyway 
I vote for [name_f]Elara[/name_f] because it’s more unusual than [name_f]Lara[/name_f]. It’s nice to have something that can stand out as a little bit different, but not weird, and she could always go by the simplified [name_f]Lara[/name_f] if she preferred. Her father could always call her [name_f]Lara[/name_f] regardless of what is on the birth certificate. I think [name_f]Elara[/name_f] [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u] is perfect
I really do love [name_f]Elara[/name_f] but I voted for [name_f]Lara[/name_f] because I feel like [name_f]Elara[/name_f] is going to get muddled with the more popular [name_f]Lara[/name_f]…
No don’t be sorry! This is really helping!! My partner loves both so has left it up to me to make the decision as long as I come back with a bit of a reason. I am now loving [name_f]Elara[/name_f] even more due to the connections you have pointed out. [name_f]Lara[/name_f] is a game that his played since the first one and helped him through a rough divorce and also it was the first game he introduced me to. Thank you very much!
And thank you to everyone else with the voting and comments 
I really like [name_f]Lara[/name_f] better. [name_f]Elara[/name_f] sounds like a make of car: “buy the new Buick [name_f]Elara[/name_f]!”
I much prefer [name_f]Lara[/name_f]: it’s more classic and streamlined, and feels more classy to me. [name_f]Elara[/name_f] feels modern, trendy, and I’m afraid to say, to me, a bit try-hard and Disney princess. I also like the combo better of [name_f]Lara[/name_f] [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_u]Quinn[/name_u].
If you’re going to be calling her [name_f]Lara[/name_f] I think it’d be better to go with that - I’m not an advocate of nicknames going on the birth certificate, but if what you want to call the child is an acceptable full name in its own right I usually prefer going that route to simplify your child’s life.