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Baby names

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

Original poster

Leela or Veda

36 replies

Cocktails4One · 13/09/2020 18:56

Hi everyone - trying to come up with some ideas for modern Indian baby names easy to pronounce in English. Don't want something that's been used a lot but nothing too out there either. So far have thought about Leela or Veda for a girl - what do you think?

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ShinyMe · 26/09/2020 12:22

Leela was also a really really cool Doctor Who companion, so I immediately like that one. DW Leela was awesome.

Garcellesaidwhaaat · 26/09/2020 11:35

Meera?

Viletta · 24/09/2020 13:28

I like both, both would sound lovely and easy to pronounce in the international community. Veda is also old Slavic meaning "knowledgeable".

JaJaDingDong · 21/09/2020 10:48

How do you pronounce Veda? Is it Vee-da or Vay-da, or Vedd-a?

(English is a funny old language. In other languages there's only one way to pronounce a word)

MaryShelley1818 · 21/09/2020 10:44

The first thing I thought was Darth!
I love Leela though xx

Dreamcatcher34 · 21/09/2020 10:36

Veda

FolkSongSweet · 17/09/2020 12:00

Mmm I love Veda bread, but it’s definitely a NI thing - can’t get it in England for love or money! The bread is pronounced veeda, but if I saw it as a name I’d probably assume the Vayda pronunciation.

Much prefer both to Leela.

twobarnsmammisonthebus · 14/09/2020 19:27

I really wouldn’t take the Darth Vader thing into consideration - you shouldn’t have to change the spelling of your child’s name just because people who aren’t familiar with the language it is from might make a mistake. That’s on them, you shouldn’t need to accommodate it. For a boys’ name, how about Nila?

diddlediddle · 14/09/2020 19:11

Oh dear yes, if it's pronounced Veeda I would spell it like that. Most people would pronounce Veda "Vay-da"

squirrelnutkins1 · 14/09/2020 08:31

@sibbys My Girl was my first thought too!

RobinlovesCormoran · 14/09/2020 08:28

Leela is a character in Futurama. I'd go with Veda!

Leela or Veda
sibbys · 14/09/2020 08:28

Love Veda, but love Vada more. Looooove "My girl" 🥰

Original poster
Cocktails4One · 14/09/2020 08:24

Veda is pronounced "Veeda" Grin, maybe I could spell it with two e"s to stop mispronunciation. I'm in England so not fussed about the bread thing

OP posts:
Auto · 13/09/2020 23:29

I thought of Darth Vader too, sorry! I like Leela though.

HoneysuckleHalliana · 13/09/2020 23:01

Leela may be easier to pronounce for non-Indians. While Veda is a lovely name most people will pronounce it with the hard ḍa rather than the soft Hindi/ Sanskrit da. I would find the constant mispronunciation grating, and it of course changes the word itself from वेदः to वेड:

ladykuga · 13/09/2020 22:49

For Veda my first thought as well was Darth Grin

Evasmissingletter · 13/09/2020 22:47

Both sound like floor cleaning products

FizzingWhizzbee123 · 13/09/2020 22:33

Leela makes me think of Futurama. Veda makes me think of Star Wars. Sorry

OrangeSamphire · 13/09/2020 22:30

Veda? Pronounced Vader, as in Darth?

This needs a rethink OP!

raddledoldmisanthropist · 13/09/2020 22:25

I love the name Vader and I think it's good for kids to develop a thick skin.

Any suggestions for modern Indian boys names too as we don't know what we're having?

Sauron?

Sunshineandsparkle · 13/09/2020 22:07

I think Veda. I’m not Indian but I’ve heard the name Leela quite a lot but I’ve never heard Veda so it sounds quite unique.

SpornStar · 13/09/2020 22:05

Veda is the best bread in the world though so not the worst thing to be named after.

SpornStar · 13/09/2020 22:05

@Popcorn15 same. You couldn’t be called Veda in Ireland

Leela or Veda
Unseeliequeen · 13/09/2020 22:01

Of the two I prefer Veda :)

Popcorn15 · 13/09/2020 22:00

Veda just reminds me of a type of bread. Though I'm in Ireland and apparently it is only sold here lol

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veda_bread