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Baby names

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

Original poster

Love the name hate the spelling

145 replies

CiciLapin · 25/03/2022 22:43

Baby girl due in 2 weeks and we are set on the name pronounced ARE-lee-yah.
Struggling with spelling although are leaning towards Arlia.
Aware it's probably a marmite name.
Other names we liked were Ophelia/Aurelia/Amelia/Delilah but for various reasons they aren't top.

Any thoughts on a better way or is ours okay? Not sure I like how it looks? (I have a name always mispronounced/spelt wrong and it's not been an issue so have no problem with that for her) just not sure Arlia is too literal a spelling. Other ways we've looked at are: Aalia, Ahlia. Aware it can be spelt Aaliyah/Aliya/ Aliyah but we don't like the y and h.

Also any ideas for middle names?
So far we like grace, we are aware it's very common but seeing as her first will be unusual though best to not be too "out there". Thought a one syllable middle name would be best as first is 3 but open to other options. Last name is one syllable.

Thoughts? (Please don't hate on the name too much, we took forever to agree Wink)

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Lulu1919 · 26/03/2022 07:07

Alia ...I'd say A lee a

Ahleah ...maybe would give a Arrr sound

Allia Ahllia

Once people know though how you want it pronounced it should be ok

TulipsGarden · 26/03/2022 07:06

Aaliyah will be pronounced Ah-Leah by anyone over 40, as they'll remember the singer by the same name.

I think Ahlia looks prettiest and most likely to gain the pronunciation you want... although people will always say it wrong, that's just reality when you use an uncommon name.

Pregnagainagain · 26/03/2022 06:59

@Harrysutton

I’m in the north west and I’m saying this as “our Leah” a bit like Noel Gallagher saying “our kid”
Same
godmum56 · 26/03/2022 06:56

Once she is old enough she will call herself what she likes which will solve the problem

FinnRussell · 26/03/2022 06:56

@Gardeningcreature

I would only pronounce the r if it is in the spelling. Think of the word path. Some people pronounce it p a th, others p ar th. So Aaliah for example would spell A Lee ah to me. No r .
Who pronounces path with an r? A rhotic accent wouldn't put an R in path.

As others have said, if you don't want the name ever pronounced with an R don't put one in. The names sound very different if you have a rhotic accent.

HappyMiddleChild · 26/03/2022 06:47

Pretty name, I prefer the Ahlia spelling Flowers
Never find it on the carousel of tat which you’ll be reminded of by them on a regular basis Grin

Gardeningcreature · 26/03/2022 06:43

I would only pronounce the r if it is in the spelling.
Think of the word path.
Some people pronounce it p a th, others p ar th.
So Aaliah for example would spell A Lee ah to me. No r .

Riseholme · 26/03/2022 06:43

It’s a pretty name op and the spelling is fine imo.

Barkingmadhouse · 26/03/2022 06:28

Either way you will probably find it is incorrectly pronounced and spelt by everyone else

Teaandcrumpets95 · 26/03/2022 06:01

I think Arlia looks and sounds fine.

2reefsin30knots · 26/03/2022 05:50

I think Aaliyah is prettiest and the most 'complete'.

EdgeOfACoin · 26/03/2022 05:39

I think you need to consider how it will be pronounced in rhotic accents (where the 'r' sound is always pronounced, such as General American, Irish) and non-rhotic accents (south east England, Australia).

For instance, an American teacher at your child's school would definitely pronounce the 'r' in Arlia and the name wouldn't sound like Aaliyah. Would you be okay with that? Or if your daughter ends up marrying someone with an Irish accent?

Make sure you're happy with both pronunciations before settling on that spelling.

Original poster
CiciLapin · 26/03/2022 02:50

@Coyoacan

Is there such a name as Arlia' I've never seen it before. Where does it come from?

Of course, I suppose you can make names up if you want to, but to my mind that is a step too far.

Yes so I first saw heard it a couple of years ago on the radio. Girl said it was pronounced ARE-lee-yah. But was spelt Aaliyah and I just thought it was so pretty. I believe that spelling is Arabic/Hebrew but after doing research however its generally pronounced Ah-LEAH. Which we don't like as much. Then when I looked into spellings more I saw Arlia is apparently an Australian name. I know it does sound made up which is why I didn't want the spelling to look like I'd invented it as well. Like what pp said with Lynzee etc.
OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 26/03/2022 00:05

I think Arlia, Aalia and Ahlia would all be pronounced how you want it pronounced (mostly). I think Aalia looks nicest.

I do think Alia (Ah-Leah) is actually a nicer sounding name.

threecupsofteaminimum · 26/03/2022 00:03

Aaliya is beautiful

Coyoacan · 26/03/2022 00:00

Is there such a name as Arlia' I've never seen it before. Where does it come from?

Of course, I suppose you can make names up if you want to, but to my mind that is a step too far.

saraclara · 25/03/2022 23:55

If you want it to sound like AAH-lee-yah, then it needs to be spelled Ahlia or Aaliyah. You're right that Alia will be pronounced with the normal phonic 'a' sound.

Arlia just looks horrible.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 25/03/2022 23:52

I would have pronounced it "Ar - LEE - yah" if I had just seen it in written form.
Just be prepared to correct people for her whole life.

Legoisthebest · 25/03/2022 23:51

I've always said the name Aliyah as 'A- Lie -Ah' not 'A - Lee - Ah'.
I know the name Leah but I have never heard anyone called A-Lee-ah (whatever spelling).

RichTeaCheddars · 25/03/2022 23:42

@Harrysutton

I’m in the north west and I’m saying this as “our Leah” a bit like Noel Gallagher saying “our kid”
Me too!
Original poster
CiciLapin · 25/03/2022 23:40

@saraclara

I'm confused. You want it to sound like ARE-lee-yah, but AH-lee-yah is wrong?

Are you English, or do you live somewhere where the accent is rhotic? Because to me they're one and the same.

Sorry probably didn't explain that very well thought "ah" would be read differently. We are English (east to be exact) and Alia to everyone I showed to was pronounced like Malia (as in Greece) without the M.
OP posts:
AlwaysLatte · 25/03/2022 23:30

If you like that I'd go for Aria.

Fivebeanchilli · 25/03/2022 23:28

I'm not keen on the look of Arlia but I would pronounce it the way you want it.
I prefer the look of Alia but I would probably say the Ali like Alison until I knew the spelling.
I know hundreds of Aaliyahs and I'm not keen on the name anyway but most of them pronounce it ar-LEE-a.
Do you not like Aria? It's similar but without the spelling issues (and I think it's nicer too).
I would use a more interesting middle name than Grace. The first name isn't different enough to mean there won't be 3 Aaliyah Graces in her class (even if they are spelt differently).

Pallisers · 25/03/2022 23:26

@Apileofballyhoo

If she ever lives anywhere else Arlia and Ahlia/Alia might not be pronounced the same.
If she ever lives anywhere else Arlia and Ahlia/Alia might not be pronounced the same.

they certainly would be anywhere I've lived.

If you want the "r" pronounced no matter where she lives than I think you have to put it in the spelling.

Cindie943811A · 25/03/2022 23:25

But Dahlia is also a flower and pronounced Day-leah
Alia could be pronounced like the word alias.
Arlia should be pronounced like Charlie without the Ch, all things being equal.
You will get used to the spelling— it’s just that it’s new and unfamiliar, not that it’s intrinsically “wrong”.
If anyone asks for an explanation just tell them you wanted to ensure the correct pronunciation.
Almost any name would sound fine as a second name. Even a longer one such as Elizabeth or Catherine or Beatrice.