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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

How would you pronounce...

55 replies

DifficultToSay · 15/05/2016 22:24

.....the name Kya?

Would you say it K-eye-a or K-ee-ya.

I've name changed as I don't want it to out me, but we called our DD this. I would say that about a third/half of the time people pronounce it the wrong way, and it drives me mad.

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TeradelFuego · 16/05/2016 20:20

I wouldn't know because I've never come across the name before. So I would ask you and go by what you said! But if I had to guess, I would maybe have said Kee-ya. Sorry!

But if you had spelled it Kaya, I would have said Keye - ah, because of the Bob Marley song.

OSETmum · 16/05/2016 15:24

k-eye-a

steppemum · 16/05/2016 15:20

I wouldn't know, but then I am never sure if Kaya and Maya and Maia and Kia etc etc want it pronounced May - a like the month of May or M - eye - a.

I would guess and K-eye-a (to rhyme with hiya)

Alisvolatpropiis · 16/05/2016 15:12

I really struggle with Kaya not being pronounced Kay-uh, same with Maya not being May-uh, privately. Outwardly I do pronounce them porkoerly.

Really don't understand kia from Kya!

LadyAntonella · 16/05/2016 15:08

Meant to say - it's a very pretty name OP! Hopefully people will only mispronounce it once before you correct them.

LadyAntonella · 16/05/2016 14:53

I would have said Kia (sorry - I'm one of those who would drive you mad in RL)! I think it's because when you see k and y together you would normally pronounce it kee. Like risky, tricky, snarky. But then sky is sky... And I would say "skya" like sky-yah. Hmmm I don't know. Sorry, I have an interest in language so I am probably overthinking! The more I think about it the more I might say it either k-eye-yah or Kia depending on the moment I read it.

Kaya I would definitely pronounce to rhyme with heya so I think you picked the right spelling. I think more people would have mispronounced Kaya iykwim.

yummycake123 · 16/05/2016 10:33

k eye ah (like hiya)

ABitAsleep · 16/05/2016 10:32

another vote for Kai-a (to rhyme with hiya)

Natsku · 16/05/2016 10:09

Kai-ah (or Koo-ah, depending on where I come across the name as Y is pronounced sort of like oo but a bit eww-like and frankly just weird where I live)

Frazzled2207 · 16/05/2016 10:05

Good.
Agree that kaya would cause more issues than kya.

I know a maya and never know if it's may-a or ma-ya

Artandco · 16/05/2016 10:01

Kai-a

I would have spelt it Kaia also not Kya. Kya does look a bit like ku-yah

BertrandRussell · 16/05/2016 09:55

If you don't want to be "driven mad" don't choose a name with an ambiguous pronunciation.

She will be dealing with this all her life- is it too late to change it?

nectarini1983 · 16/05/2016 09:47

I'd say Ky - a too. I've heard of this name, not met any littlies in real life but I think it's pretty and makes a refreshing change from all the regulars! It was on my long list for dd2.

mathanxiety · 16/05/2016 02:32

I knew someone in school who pronounced her name like the car.

PeaceLoveAndDiscoBiscuits · 16/05/2016 00:32

Yes if you'd spelt it Kaya I'd have automatically thought Kay-ah to rhyme with heya, but as it is I'd go for K-eye-ah over Key-ah.
I wonder if people are pronouncing the y as a "yuh" sound, so it's coming out as Kuh-yuh which sounds a bit like Kia.

DifficultToSay · 16/05/2016 00:11

Yes, it's pronounced to rhyme with hiya. I think I just got a bit annoyed bemused by people pronouncing it the same as the car Kia.

The name should actually have been spelt Kaya but we took the first a out as we didn't want people to see her name and say Kay-a.

Thanks for the replies all.

OP posts:
ample · 15/05/2016 23:49

Ky-yah (like hiya)
I know three Kyra's and all three are pronounced differently (I can see their frustration Confused )
If the mix up in pronounciation drives you mad, it probably will your DD too

MrsLettuce · 15/05/2016 23:40

Kai-a would be a less bilingually confused way of saying what I called Kei-aBlush

MrsLettuce · 15/05/2016 23:37

I'd be torn between Kei-a and Kay-a, would probably plump for Kei-a.
Neither of the pronunciations in the OP would have occurred to meConfused

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 15/05/2016 23:33

To be honest. I wouldn't have a clue how to pronounce it. As it gives no idea to the pronunciation at the beginning due to their being no vowel between the Kand the Y
to work on. So if you do want an obvious pronunciation vowels are key. As to wether it's Kiya, Kaya Keya. Other wise you and her will always be asked. How do you pronounce it. It'll drive you mad.

Paddletonio · 15/05/2016 23:20

Ky-a to rhyme with hiya

Kee-a would be Kia

BackforGood · 15/05/2016 23:15

Ky-a, to rhyme with Hiya

leotwist · 15/05/2016 23:11

I'd read 'kya' as k-eye-a. I'd read 'kia' as keeya.

EDisFunny · 15/05/2016 23:09

Key-ah, just based on how a colleague pronounced her daughter's name

AlmaMartyr · 15/05/2016 23:04

To rhyme with hiya

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