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Baby names

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

Original poster

Eila

62 replies

samsam1986 · 15/02/2018 12:49

Hi everyone! My first post on the site - but I've been reading lots of very useful info for a while now.

So, my girlfriend & I are expecting our first child this Summer, and if it's a girl, we're thinking about calling her Eila (pronounced I-La, just like Isla). The reason behind it is that I wanted to honour my late grandmother who was called Eileen, and whilst Eila isn't necessarily an official shortened version of Eileen, the pronunciation is similar, and it's also a little bit quirky, a bit different.

I just wanted to get some other peoples opinions on the name, as we can't really ask friends & family as we'd like it to be a surprise.

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mais · 15/02/2018 18:46

I think it is a beautiful name & I wouldnt worry about how people think it should be spelt. There are many many names that can be spelt more than one way, Owen, Eoin or Eoghan or Clare or Claire as mentioned up thread. Just because Eila is not common does not mean it is any different - family & friends will know how to spell it & others will just ask. My dd has a slightly unusual name and yes we occasionally have to spell it but it hasn’t been difficult or a burden. I have a common enough name that can be spelt 2/3 ways & I don’t get annoyed if I have to correct someone’s spelling.
It is a lovey name with special meaning for you & I think you should go for it.

Original poster
samsam1986 · 15/02/2018 18:36

I’m just discussing people’s points/opinions Harriet, whilst trying to explain my thinking a little better than I did originally. We have a number of names on a shortlist. Appreciate your input.

OP posts:
harrietm87 · 15/02/2018 18:10

It sounds like you're determined to use it, which is absolutely fine. It is a lovely name (albeit with a spelling that will cause issues). But why ask for opinions if you don't really want opinions? (It's not just you - I often wonder this on the baby names thread).

MikeUniformMike · 15/02/2018 16:51

Why don't you use Eileen?

SoupDragon · 15/02/2018 16:48

I would pronounce it I-la

🙄at own stupidity.

SoupDragon · 15/02/2018 16:47

I would pronounce it Eila on reading it but would spell it Isla if I heard it. This will be a pain for your DD hroughout her life.

Archfarchnad · 15/02/2018 16:45

I'm probably one of the few people here who does know an Eila, but we're in a country where 'ei' is automatically pronounced as 'I' not 'ay' so it's never been an issue.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 15/02/2018 16:37

She’ll be known at school as “Isla with an E” or “Isla with the weird spelling” so won’t get the advantages of having an unusual name.

Original poster
samsam1986 · 15/02/2018 16:29

Thank you, I've not been on that site before, some lovely name there I agree. On Eila:-

"[ 2 syll. ei-la, eil-a ] The baby girl name Eila is pronounced as -AY-Laa- †. Eila is derived from Old French origins. Eila is a variant form of the English, Irish, and Gaelic name Eileen.

Eila is unusual as a baby girl name. It is ranked outside of the top 1000. In 2016, among the family of girl names directly linked to Eila, Eileen was the most frequently used. "

OP posts:
SpottyBrolly · 15/02/2018 16:28

Eilyn is beautiful and a variant of Eileen, so may work for you.

scrappysquirrel · 15/02/2018 16:25

Ooh pps suggestion of Eilyn is beautiful!!!!

harrietm87 · 15/02/2018 15:56

Eilidh?

ErrantBakedBean · 15/02/2018 15:45

If you decided you wanted something with the same root but that didn't sound like another name there's some lovely ones on babynamespedia if you search with the beginning 'Eil'. Nice meanings too, something about birds and juniper trees -

Eilena - I imagine pronounced eye-lay-na?
Eilina - eye-lee-na?
Eilyn - love this one

villamariavintrapp · 15/02/2018 15:17

It's a separate name but it's pronounced the same as a common name. So you will have the issues of having a common name-there could be several in class/work, known by Eila surname, or a descriptor, or nickname. AND all the issues of an uncommon name-spelling it out, correcting pronunciation etc. It's a pretty name and you sound like you love it though.Smile

TulipsInABlueVase · 15/02/2018 15:08

I wouldn't use it. She'll be forever correcting people. I would use Eileen as a middle name.

DiegoMadonna · 15/02/2018 14:46

I read it as Ella and read the whole OP wondering why tf you would pronounce that like Isla.

Then I realised it's Eila and I would pronounce that as Ay-luh.

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 15/02/2018 14:17

Actually yes I just Googled. Eila has Hebrew origins, popular in Israel and pronounced "i-la" It means Oak Tree.

I suppose it's similar to being called Claire/ Clare where you continually have to spell the name for people, although there might be more people reading Eila and mispronouncing it or hearing it and assuming Isla.

harrietm87 · 15/02/2018 14:16

Whether or not it's an actual name, it is way less common than Isla, so people will think you've deliberately avoided spelling it Isla to be different, not knowing the Eileen back story.

It's still pronounced exactly the same way so is effectively the same name - she'd still need to be differentiated from Islas at school/work etc.

Original poster
samsam1986 · 15/02/2018 14:09

Just to clarify, we're not spelling anything differently as such - it's a separate name to "Isla", a name in it's own right with a different origin. I mentioned Isla on my original post to help explain the correct pronunciation - apologies for the confusion.

OP posts:
Dottieroses · 15/02/2018 14:07

That's supposed to say baby could be boy!

Dottieroses · 15/02/2018 14:06

I think it's actually very pretty and the spelling looks pretty, it just comes down to if you are both happy to explain the spelling to many people throughout her life, and she will have to explain it when old enough, but to be honest once you have told someone once how it's spelt and pronounced they shouldn't need to be told again 🙂 If you both love it, go for it! Baby couldn't be a boy and then you won't need to worry!

Frazzled2207 · 15/02/2018 13:58

I would pronounce it ay (as in say, day)-la.

villamariavintrapp · 15/02/2018 13:48

But spelling it differently doesn't make it less common. She will still have to be differentiated from the Islas in her class etc. She'll be known as 'E-Isla' or Eila surname..

GimbleInTheWabe · 15/02/2018 13:42

*wild card... I shan't throw around a wild car that would be very irresponsible of me.

GimbleInTheWabe · 15/02/2018 13:42

Just to throw in a total wild car how about 'Riley'? Sounds very similar to Eileen and is an uncommon name that's easy to spell. I think Riley is quite a cool girls name too.