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Baby names

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Original poster

How would you pronounce the name 'malia'

85 replies

ShazGranger · 17/06/2019 14:28

Hi all!

We are wanting to call our baby girl 'malia' but am wondering how it's going to be pronounced? We want it pronounced like Obama s daughter. Will that work in the UK do you think?

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Sophronia · 17/06/2019 23:26

I would spell it Maliyah if you want it said the Obamas way.

piperk · 17/06/2019 21:04

I would pronounce it like ma-lee-a as in the Greek holiday destination

Quintella · 17/06/2019 20:38

Muh-LEE-ah, as Malia Obama is the only person I know with that name.

Iwalkedaway · 17/06/2019 20:30

Mah- Leah?

MikeUniformMike · 17/06/2019 20:29

That's right. Mal-EE-A.

JustTheCrowsAndTheBeef · 17/06/2019 20:20

Malia Obama is muh-LEE-ah rather than MAH-lee-ah.

MikeUniformMike · 17/06/2019 18:49

Maleah is awful.
Malia pron Mal-ee-ah is fine. Pretty.

AdelaideK · 17/06/2019 18:03

Mal ee a with the emphasis on the Mal

TheVanguardSix · 17/06/2019 17:44

Molly-yuh.
Similar to Amalia.
I’m American and immediately thought of Malia Obama. Good name!
Malaika is another beautiful name

PrincessScarlett · 17/06/2019 17:22

I think you need to spell it differently as Malia immediately reminds me of the party destination in Crete.

MyNameIsCharlesII · 17/06/2019 17:16

Meh-lee-uh

MyNameIsCharlesII · 17/06/2019 17:16

What about using Mellieha. It’s a place in Malta. I think that’s the pronunciation you’re after?

Fullmoons · 17/06/2019 17:14

Is there any other way than Ma li a?

ThatCurlyGirl · 17/06/2019 16:23

I'd only think to pronounce it the way you would like if it was spelled like Aaliyah because I'd assumed it rhymed.

So that would be Maliyah I guess. But it doesn't really flow well somehow written down?

Weirdly if Malia was in the context of be place I would pronounce it to rhyme with "tally-a" but if I saw it as a name I'd assume it pronounced with "TAR-Leah" with emphasis on first syllable.

Original poster
ShazGranger · 17/06/2019 15:58

Thanks for your comments all!

What if we spelt it Maleah ? Would it be pronounced muh-leah then do you think? That's how we'd want it pronounced..

OP posts:
hopelesslyromantic93 · 17/06/2019 15:57

I'd say it may-lee-ah but only because I have a friend with it as a surname and it's how she pronounces it. J would assume most people would go with mah-Lee-ah like the resort in crete?

GrumpyOHara · 17/06/2019 15:51

I'd say Mah-lee-uh

BarryBarryTaylor · 17/06/2019 15:40

Mal-ee-a
Like the party destination in Greece

Expressedways · 17/06/2019 15:34

Unless told otherwise I’d probably think Mal-E-Ah like the rather downmarket resort in Greece to be honest. If you want it pronounced Mar-Lee-Ah or something else then just introduce her as such and everyone will follow suit.

imsorryiasked · 17/06/2019 15:13

I'd pronounce it May lee uh, which was how the "Mailie" in dd's class was said.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 17/06/2019 15:05

MA-lee-ah would be how it is pronounced where I am but it obviously depends on where you live. I have no idea how the Obama's pronounce the name though.

WhiteLightTrainWreck · 17/06/2019 15:03

I think it's a pretty name, but I think it will be pronounced wrong by many. Sorry I don't know how the Obama's say it, I would say Mah Lee Ah.

Charm23 · 17/06/2019 14:59

I would pronounce it Marley-uh

FatChloe · 17/06/2019 14:45

Depends where you live I'd have thought! I'd say MA-lee-ah not MAR-lee-ah but maybe that's my accent?

RomanyQueen · 17/06/2019 14:44

marleea

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