Personally I think matching initials is fine but matching sounds tends to be more problematic.  My sister and I both start with C, and never really noticed except when we had to initial things, but two of the toddlers in our congregation (I was pregant at the same time as three friends) have very similar names and it's already annoying - I think it would be worse if that was within one family!

So I'd definitely vote for Devin over Layah.  I love the name Wren and I like it better than Devin, but it might not "fit" with Darah as well.  I think I'd pick Wren anyway, to be honest.

I like Wren. They're all pretty names, but the "D" of Devin and "-ah" ending of Layah are a little too matchy-matchy to your first daughter's name for my personal taste. I think Wren is a great name, a nice compliment to the style of Darah, and not at all weak (although that could be because my main association with the name is my daughter's friend, who is a little firecracker!)

Good luck--you have great taste :)

Are you opened to considering other spellings?  I wonder if Devin will become Devil when she's in school.  I've met male and female Devons but never a Devin. Since they're pronounced differently but spelled similarly, perhaps Laya would take the matchy-matchy-ness out of Darah/Layah. 

I don't understand why it has to sound good with her sister's name, so I disagree with that logic.  And I agree that two D names are unnecessary, and Layah is too similar to Sarah.  I also vote for Wren of the three options, and I've never heard of the name, but it seems strong and very individual without being weird individual.

They are all pretty names. I think Layah is the "softest" one of the bunch. Plus, my mouth keeps wanting to make it Lay-Lah in pronunciation so you may get others wanting to transform and mispronounce the name as well. Devin is nice but maybe spelled a bit different to pretty it up. Devyn, Devon, Devanne are options. I don't think two D names is at all a problem. Wren is cute, unusual but very easy to pronounce and spell. If these are your criteria then this is your best bet.

I don't find alliteration in sibsets a problem usually (my sisters and I have C names). Darah and Devin is nice. Darah and Devon, I like a bit more from a sound/written point of view.

But my favorite has to be Wren. I don't think it's weak at all. Beautiful and strong, but delicate at the same time.

Good luck.

I like Wren best, by far. I'm personally not a huge fan of names that are too matchy-matchy for siblings, and both Devin and Layah fall into that category for me with the matching/similar initial/final sounds. Plus I keep wanting to say "Laylah" instead. 

I think Wren is great with Darah. It's different without being unheard-of. 

Good luck!

I agree that Layah will get called Laylah all the time.  I am not put off by either of the combos, I think they work fine.  As long as you are prepared for the Layah-Laylah thing, either would work if you love them.  However, I love Wren with Darah.  I think it is a WINNER.  :)

I definitely prefer Wren, and I don't find it weak at all.  I'm not a fan of reusing first initials, and Layah will be forever confused with Layla.  Layah carries some teasing potential, too, with Star Wars and the slang meaning of lay.

I'm fascinated that you describe Wren as "weak." I would never have thought that -- creative one-syllable names generally sound very confident. That led me to thinking...

Over the years, I've noticed that no matter what style of names parents choose, they tell me that they love the name because it sounds "strong." I eventually realized that "strong" just means "I like it!"

So maybe when you say "weak" it really means that you don't totally love the name? (Because there's nothing weak about it, honest!)

I vote for Wren because it's the one I like best. Wren does not feel/sound/look weak to me, and it doesn't bother me that it's "totally different" because Darah is also a different name. This way they both get to stay "different" instead of becoming part of a theme - e.g. like Darah, Devin, Danna, or Darah, Corah, Merah...

Wren was my grandmother's nickname, (her given name was Jeanette, but everyone called her Wren) and I love that it is coming up these days as an actual name, name.  I believe she got her nickname because she was a very talented whistler.  Growing up, I never thought of it as a weak name, and I thought about it as a name for my daughters as well.  

I'm so thankful for all the feedback!

If we go with Layah, she will be Layah Wren.

But if we go with Wren, we don't have a middle name for her! My first daughter's middle name is Sophia. I like names like that....really beautiful, perhaps a bit older. Baby's last name will start with an M and be 2 syllables, so I'm thinking a 3 or even 4 syllable middle name would be good to go with Wren. Would LOVE to hear any suggestions!

Middles for Wren:

Wren Arianna; Wren Elise; Wren Olivia; Wren Georgia; Wren Cecelia

I agree it need to be flowy and long because Wren is so short. Watch out for initials if those kinds of things bother you though. 

Wren Helena

I, like many others here, like Wren the best for contrast with big sister's name. Devin would be my second choice, but it seems a bit staid after Darah, which has more flair. (Also, you/she will be faced with having to clarify the spelling - I've seen Devyn, Devon, Devan, Devonne as well - but this may not bother you.) Layah is too nearly a rhyme with Darah to my ear, and is also likely to get lost in the shuffle with (and misheard as) the many Leahs, Laylahs and Lilas around these days; I'm sure you want something as distinctive for your second daughter as your first. I find that Wren "goes" the best in the sense that both your girls would have unusual but feminine names with a distinct sound.

Wrens are small birds, yes, but they have a lot of personality: bold, curious, and tenacious with a cheerful-sounding song. The name thus reads to me as less dainty than Sparrow (which would be out anyway as a near-rhyme to Darah) - but if you (or anyone else) are looking for other striking bird names I'll also offer up Kestrel, Lark, Linnet and Avocet.

Middle names: I like at least 2 syllables here, but how many and which emphasis may depend on the flow with your last name. This is leading me towards more traditionally feminine sounding names, which also makes a nice balance with Wren's more modern, sleek sound. Snappy consonants are also sounding good to me as a counterpoint . I think you have a lot options though. How about ...?

Wren Alison, Wren Ariadne, Wren Audrey, Wren Carlotta/Charlotte, Wren Cordelia,

Wren Elizabeth, Wren Jessica, Wren Juliet, Wren Katherine, Wren Lucy,

Wren Mavis, Wren Meredith, Wren Rebecca, Wren Soraya,

Wren Theresa, Wren Victoria, Wren Virginia

I love the name Wren! I don't think you should do another d name. Layah doesn't sound quite right with Darah. So my answer is Wren. Good luck!