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Baby names

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

Original poster

Down to 2 names need help to pick!!

59 replies

PW1992 · 06/04/2021 18:54

So managed to get my list down to 2 baby girl names and need help to pick the best one! I'm Scottish so I know my names wont be everyone's cup of tea but I love them just need help choosing one!

So my first one is Eilidh, pronounced as Ailie, not sure which spelling I would use?

Second one is similar as its Aila, pronounced Ay-luh. It's different from Isla as I'm not keen on that name.

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CaffiSaliMali · 09/04/2021 14:39

Eilidh for me, with that spelling. I know one in England and people have managed to learn the spelling, it's not unheard of. Gorgeous name!

In Welsh the letters e and i in that order make the same ay/ey sound as Eilidh - e.g. Eira, Eirlys. So the first time I saw Eilidh written down I was able to guess the first syllable straight away.

Original poster
PW1992 · 08/04/2021 20:43

@incywincyspiders it was supposed to be just a simple post to choose the best name lol thanks for your reply 😁

OP posts:
incywincyspiders · 08/04/2021 20:16

I vote Aila 😍🥰 ignore all this other rubbish going on in this thread OP 😊

florascotia2 · 08/04/2021 20:04

I am only trying to put forward what I genuinely believe to be correct information. That is all. If you choose not to believe me, that is entirely your right.

If you look at names on the National Registers of Scotland website, so far as I can see, Aila is not recorded there until recently. Again, that is all. Take it or leave it.

I've no wish to quarrel with anyone. Or offend anyone. My original post on this thread was simply because someone had made (to the best of my knowledge) an incorrect statement, and I wanted to stop that statement misleading others.

All the very best, OP I won't post again on your thread.

Ijustlikedthename · 08/04/2021 20:02

I prefer Aila, I don't dislike Eilidh (know 1 and no one has had any trouble with her name after the first time asking how to spell it!)

Disfordarkchocolate · 08/04/2021 19:52

I love Eilidh. I even know how to pronounce it because of the athlete. It's a lovely name.

Original poster
PW1992 · 08/04/2021 19:50

@florascotia2 the whole point in my post was to get help deciding on a baby name. Of course you can have your own opinions on what you think you know about the name and whether it is Scottish or not, but it might be best to create your own post to discuss this as this is not what my post was intended for.
I know the name Aila is Scottish, not from websites but from what I have learned through various subjects. I can see from other peoples posts you done exactly the same thing to them by not answering the topic question but trying to pick up on names and information not being correct. I would prefer you to take your opinions elsewhere thanks 😁

OP posts:
wanderedlonelyasacloud · 08/04/2021 19:48

Aila! I like Ailsa too as pp suggested.

I'm surprised so many people prefer Eilidh - theres nothing wrong with it, Aila just looks and sounds so much nicer to my ear

florascotia2 · 08/04/2021 19:45

Thanks very much PW1992

florascotia2 · 08/04/2021 19:44

To anyone - if you're going to use made-up Gaelic names, just be very careful about what they might mean. Cautionary tale here:
www.thenational.scot/news/14902997.gaelic-expert-warns-of-howlers-by-tattooists-who-dont-know-the-language/

Aila = 'of the rock' - is not traditionally a name but is the genitive case of ail (rock) and is spelled this way: aileach. Pronounced approx 'ahylla' www.wordsense.eu/ail/

Original poster
PW1992 · 08/04/2021 19:41

@florascotia2 fab info! 👌

OP posts:
Original poster
PW1992 · 08/04/2021 19:40

@incywincyspiders its lovely isnt it, that's how I plan on pronouncing it as well 😁

OP posts:
incywincyspiders · 08/04/2021 19:20

Ailsa has also been one of my favourites forever too!

incywincyspiders · 08/04/2021 19:19

Aila has been my baby name forever although I plan on pronouncing it A-lah.

Time2b33 · 08/04/2021 19:15

Aila!

florascotia2 · 08/04/2021 19:14

PW1992 No, it really doesn't. That Wikipedia entry is wrong and gives no source reference to back up its (erroneous) claims. But it's been copied by so many other sites. Baby name sites really can't be relied on.

In Gaelic, place is 'aite'; strong is 'laidir'. 'From a strong place' is 'bho àite làidir'. Another word for a strong place is is 'daingean' (ie dungeon).

A stronghold (fortress, strong place) is 'cuith' or 'cuithir' or 'dun' or 'gearastan'

Ail in Gaelic is 'a rock'. learngaelic.scot/dictionary/index.jsp?abairt=ail&slang=gd&wholeword=false But it's pronounced 'ahl' not 'ail' or 'ale'.

I cannot find any examples of Aila being used as a name in Scotland until recently. Ailsa yes, Isla/Islay yes.

WeAreAllCompletelyFine · 08/04/2021 18:30

Eilidh I prefer but Aila is nice.

Ailsa and Elish both have a similar sound. Elish Angiolini is a very prominent lawyer.

Cuppachino · 08/04/2021 18:23

I prefer Aila.

TatianaBis · 08/04/2021 18:21

Eilidh

florascotia2 · 08/04/2021 18:20

Thanks pamela

SquigglePigs · 08/04/2021 18:18

Eilidh is lovely. I'm English and living in England. I think it's known enough people shouldn't have that much of an issue with working once they've seen what it is.

KirstenBlest · 08/04/2021 07:59

Exactly what @CloudFormations said.

Aila disappears into the Ayla, Kayla, Layla, Taylor, Ava, Ada type names.

CloudFormations · 08/04/2021 07:48

Worth considering that if you choose Eilidh no one will be able to spell it

If OP lives in Scotland this won’t be an issue, everyone knows how to spell Eilidh.

CloudFormations · 08/04/2021 07:47

Eilidh (spelled that way) is lovely. Not so keen on Aila.

elliemara · 08/04/2021 07:42

Eilidh is beautiful