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Baby names

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

Original poster

Alba or Eira

31 replies

withoutaname · 18/02/2017 21:31

Which name do you think? Eira is pronounced Ayra. Any suggestions for a middle name for either? Thanks!

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Frazzled2207 · 19/02/2017 10:36

Should def be pronounced
Ay (like the ay in may) - ra (like ratatouille).
Ideally with a rolling r.

thisismadness77 · 19/02/2017 10:20

I love Alba

Sapphireshadow · 19/02/2017 10:18

I really like both but if I had to choose then my favourite would be Eira. I like the meaning snow. Alba makes me think of the girl in The Time Travellers Wife so that's a nice association. I thought it means white which is an ok meaning if that's important.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 19/02/2017 09:52

So snow or Scotland then?

PetalMettle · 19/02/2017 09:40

I didn't know about the welsh name, just thought of Eire, so would pronounce it like that and think you had an Irish connection

Original poster
withoutaname · 19/02/2017 09:36

*right Frazzled

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Original poster
withoutaname · 19/02/2017 09:29

I think it gets pronounced slightly differently depending which part of Wales lavenderbongo.

I think you might be Frazzled which is what puts me off it. There was a couple of other Welsh names my husband wanted but supposedly I kept saying them wrong in my English accent! Decided that if even the mum can't pronounce them right they were probably not a good choices! x

OP posts:
lavenderbongo · 19/02/2017 09:12

Eira s my Mum's name and so think it's beautiful. She has not had many problems with mispronouciation or misspelling. However we've always pronounced it "Ira". My Mum is Welsh so presume her Welsh family pronounces is correctly.

Notso · 19/02/2017 09:06

Alba has meanings in other languages.

Eira will always be snow to me living in Wales and I don't think snow is a very nice name.

MrsMeeseeks · 19/02/2017 08:42

I'm old, so Alba to me will always be the bargain basement stereo brand.

Frazzled2207 · 19/02/2017 08:38

Eira is nice (I'm Welsh) but I think in England would not be pronounced as nicely.
Last letter should be an a like the a in apple. In English there would be the tendency to pronounce it ay-ruh rather than ay-ra.

TheLegendOfBeans · 19/02/2017 07:53

You're English (I assume?)
Husband is Welsh
Names in the frame are the native names for Ireland and Scotland

If you give a French and an Italian middle name you've got the Six Nations!

(Ps; I'm being lighthearted, I like Alba, mainly because it's regal - see Dutchess of Alba) x

bloodymaria · 19/02/2017 07:52

Alba seems strange as a name unless you've got Scottish connections.

FrancisCrawford · 19/02/2017 07:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
withoutaname · 19/02/2017 07:47

Thanks everyone! My husband is Welsh so he suggested Eira. My favourite was Alba until then and now I'm torn. We're in England though so didn't know if it would get frustrating with Eira being spelt/pronounced wrong x

OP posts:
JujuMonster · 18/02/2017 23:23

I read Eira as being the Welsh for snow rather than any Scottish/Irish connection.

Pronounced AY-ra but with a roll on the r.

Lovely name

alba does t do it for me personally

MrsPringles · 18/02/2017 22:44

Oh I LOVE Alba

user1477282676 · 18/02/2017 22:43

Alba.

Eira...I read as "Ee ra" and I think a lot will do and you will be correcting people a lot.

Sophronia · 18/02/2017 22:42

Eira

reuset · 18/02/2017 22:33

Sorry, I'm in a silly mood. Eggs and phonetic alphabet Grin

It could look like a bad spelling of Eire, but I thought the OP meant the Welsh name.
I thought we had a running theme with an Italia thread further down the page

EggsEleven · 18/02/2017 22:27

True Reuset, never thought of that Grin

TheLegendOfBeans · 18/02/2017 22:26

Alba is Gaelic for Scotland
Éire (pron "Eira") is Gaelic (mis-spell) for (Republic of) Ireland

So basically which one are you most "aligned" (?) to?

[Irish people I am trying to be sensitive so apologies if I've got something wrong, I'm Scottish, and no expert!)

reuset · 18/02/2017 22:26

Alba Juliet sounds nice imo
Sounds like police communicating via radio, Alpha Juliet Grin

guineapig1 · 18/02/2017 22:25

I prefer Eira. It is a Welsh name and means "snow" if that has any bearing on your decision.

Mammatron · 18/02/2017 22:22

I love Eira, one of my fave names!

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