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Baby names

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

Original poster

Leah

47 replies

Lackadaisically · 25/07/2020 14:19

We are just trying to shorten our list of names a bit. I really like Leah but am worried that everyone will hear Mia. Not that we dislike Mia but it wouldn't be her name!

My Mum actually did hear Mia when I said Leah but that was over the phone and she is deaf so possibly not the person to judge from (she also can't hear the difference between 2 and 3 when spoken which has never made sense to us)!

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EuphieKat · 28/07/2020 04:44

If my son had been a girl he would have been Leah/Leia (probably Leia, but pronounced like Leah!). It’s a gorgeous name.

Atla · 26/07/2020 23:50

I have a Leah, age 4. I don't think I've ever had it mispronounced, although one of her friends at nursery called her Lala, like the tellytubby.
I think it's a classic name. When my gran (in her 90's) heard it she thought it was old-fashioned as she associated it with her mums generation (turn of the century).

ButterflyOfFreedom · 26/07/2020 23:36

I like Leah.

I know two - age 3 & 53!

Grufallosfriends · 26/07/2020 15:23

I know a Lia. I prefer that spelling if you want it pronounced to rhyme with Mia.

Leah can also be pronounced Leh-ah like Lay-a.

rc22 · 26/07/2020 14:05

I love it. It's been the name I've had in mind for a daughter since I was a teenager but have never had a baby girl.

Enderman · 26/07/2020 12:08

I love the name Leah, always have. I’ve only known it pronounced Lee-ah, so not like the Star Wars character.

I know a couple, one spells it Lia.

Never heard it mixed up with Mia. There are too many Mia’s, Leah is due a come back!

NC4Now · 26/07/2020 00:28

I love the name Leah. My parents considered it for me but then went for Rachel. I wish they’d gone with Leah - so much more unusual, even though they have the same roots.

DramaAlpaca · 26/07/2020 00:24

On paper and to hear spoken it's a nice name, but it has unfortunate meanings - variously 'weary' or 'cow'. I remember liking the name a lot on first hearing it then going right off it when I looked it up.

sel2223 · 25/07/2020 23:26

I think it's a lovely name....classic but not overused.

I would pronounce it Lee-ah, Leia (Lay-ah) is a totally different name.

DemDem94 · 25/07/2020 20:04

Love this name so pretty and feminine

Grufallosfriends · 25/07/2020 17:51

Lay-ah is just as correct Smile

icecreamclouds · 25/07/2020 17:20

I very rarely (maybe 3 times ever) have had it pronounced Lay-uh, I'd say 99% of people say it correctly Lee-uh.

Grufallosfriends · 25/07/2020 17:16

Lay-ah is the traditional Hebrew pronunciation. Beautiful name.

Poppydaisys · 25/07/2020 17:12

I know a Lia. That's pronounced like Mia.

I pronounce Leah as Le ah or Lay ah.

monkeyonthetable · 25/07/2020 16:44

I love the name. It's classic and simple. But it is one that people can mispronounce - is it Lee-uh or Lay-uh?

passthemustard · 25/07/2020 16:35

Leah is lovely.

(I'm Mia and no one has ever heard Leah if that's of any comfort?!)

IHeartSusanDey · 25/07/2020 16:34

It's just such a pretty and classy name I think.

wilde85 · 25/07/2020 16:32

My daughter is Leah we love it and don't know if any others ... middle name Mae

imleah · 25/07/2020 16:26

I'm Leah, early 30s and didn't meet another until mid 20s and hers was spelt Leigha. I used to get Lee a bit from teachers and Leia the odd time. If I hear someone saying Mia sometimes I think they're calling me but I suppose that's the same with any names that rhyme. I really like my name

TheySeeHerRowling · 25/07/2020 16:26

I have a Leah - very little in the way of mishearing or mispronunciation goes on. I take the pp point about there being a ton of popular four letter L names at the moment, but Leah is more classic imo and will probably be around after the Lunas and Lyras have dropped off the baby name top 100.

Helgathehairy · 25/07/2020 16:25

My 3.5 year old is called Leah. It’s never been mispronounced. I think we were subconsciously influenced by the cartoon shimmer & shine that my oldest was obsessed with at the time - one of the characters was called Leah.

icecreamclouds · 25/07/2020 16:19

And just to add I've never had Mia. I've never felt particularly strongly about my name but I guess that's better than hating it! It goes really nicely with my middle name though.

icecreamclouds · 25/07/2020 16:17

I'm a Leah and find it's rarely mispronounced. I always automatically spell it for people as there's not many around so I feel lots of people just spell how they hear it so Lea/Lia.
I have had Leia (Lay-ah) a couple of times, and Leigh the latter of which 2 people have always continued to call me, one is my physio so I don't seem him enough to to be that bothered but the other is the person who owns my gym despite the fact there is also an instructor called Leigh, I think he just thinks they are the same name.

Justgivemesomepeace · 25/07/2020 16:13

Im biased because I have a Leah. She has never been called Mia or anything else to my knowledge. She really likes her name which Im pleased about. There seems to be the odd one in all generations.

Emelene · 25/07/2020 16:06

I think it's okay, but in the Bible story Leah was the unwanted sister and bride (he wanted her sister Rachel) so I always think of that!

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