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Baby names

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

How would people pronounce

40 replies

PassportBridgetPants · 06/08/2018 05:11

Iolana? I think it's a beautiful name (Hawaiian or Greek, depending on which description you read, and either meaning 'to soar like a hawk' or 'violet'). Without looking it up, how would you automatically assume it was pronounced? TIA.

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LeighaJ · 06/08/2018 17:32

Yo-Lawn-Uh

Or

Eye-Lawn-Uh

The name makes me think of the name Yolanda.

I personally wouldn't use it because any child with it will spend the rest of their life correcting others spelling and pronunciation of it. Also I don't think it's that pretty tbh.

Racecardriver · 06/08/2018 17:21

Or eeoh/la/na

Racecardriver · 06/08/2018 17:20

Eye/oh/la/na

AndSpin · 06/08/2018 17:18

Sorry just seen it starts with an I not an L

FogCutter · 06/08/2018 17:01

Yo-lana

But that's because I have welsh family and they pronounce io like yo.

Iolo = yolo

PurpleFlower1983 · 06/08/2018 16:55

Yo-Lana

PassportBridgetPants · 06/08/2018 16:49

@itsonitsway I think the official Hawaiian pronunciation is Yo-lana with a slight ee sound at the start. But it changes around the world, so I was wondering if I could get away with the Eye-o-lana version without people raising an eyebrow, but having read the comments that seems unlikely!
@MariaMadita I'm trying to avoid anything that sounds too much like 'I own a' as our surname sounds like a noun!

OP posts:
Hogtini · 06/08/2018 16:19

Yo-lana

AndSpin · 06/08/2018 16:10

Low-Lana

BitOutOfPractice · 06/08/2018 16:04

It makes me think of garlic mayonaise. Which I'd like to add is not a bad thing

BitOutOfPractice · 06/08/2018 16:04

Eye-oh-larner

LemonysSnicket · 06/08/2018 16:02

As in eye-oh-Lana

LemonysSnicket · 06/08/2018 16:02

Yo-lanna or IyOlanna

PennyGH · 06/08/2018 15:58

I know a little girl named Io (pronounced Eye-o) so I would assume Eye-o-Lana

sirmione16 · 06/08/2018 14:48

Eye o Lana

MariaMadita · 06/08/2018 14:48

I personally prefer Iona, Iola and Ilona tbh...

MariaMadita · 06/08/2018 14:47

Ee-o-LA-na or Ey-o-lana

Itsonitsway · 06/08/2018 14:21

Yo lana. I'm Welsh and IO in Welsh is pronounced more like YO so I'd automatically pronounce it like that.

How is it actually pronounced?

User24689 · 06/08/2018 13:38

I know an Ionela, pronounced Yonella . So I would assume similar if I came across it.

TatianaLarina · 06/08/2018 13:37

I love the name Io on its own (eye o).

TatianaLarina · 06/08/2018 13:36

I would assume Yolanda, but I would ask.

Pemba · 06/08/2018 13:12

Eye-oh-lah-na or maybe Ee-oh-lah-na.

Ariela · 06/08/2018 12:25

Please don't.

Think of your poor child having to correct every wrong pronounciation. I landed my daughter with what I thought was perfectly reasonable name easy to say BUT it continually gets mis-spelt OR mis-read to an equally not common but different name - and as she rides to a reasonable level it's quite common for the WRONG version to be announced as she leaves the collecting ring. Imagine your child's wrath at everyone getting it wrong, your life will be difficult till she hits about 18 and realises it's no big deal and people cannot read!

Flamingosnbears · 06/08/2018 11:36

Eye-o-lahna

mehhh · 06/08/2018 11:29

I think Eye o Lana

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