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Baby names

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

Original poster

Help me choose how to spell our babies name!

35 replies

Bexchap · 14/05/2022 22:46

So we are set on the baby girl name Elaya/Elaia pronounced E Lay a, however stuck on how to spell it, her nickname will probably be Laya/Laia

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xyzzyx · 16/05/2022 11:29

Aleia or Eleia IMO

PoemBeatrice · 16/05/2022 11:19

I'm not seeing -ay- sound in Elaya or Elaia. I would pronounce both with -lie- sound, kind of like Maya.
I guess since Elaya is "new" name, I would go with Elaya over Elaia because I can't see -lay- in Elaia.

Alternatively, Elaea is possibility, kind of like some of those Greek names (Nausicaa (which is *-cay-a) or Astraea which follows your pronunciation).

TabithaTittlemouse · 15/05/2022 21:35

AlternativelyWired · 15/05/2022 09:03

'E lay 'er. No chance of bullying at high school there at all.

This

jammyrose · 15/05/2022 21:35

I’d pronounce Elaia E-lye-a. What about Leia?

Enko · 15/05/2022 21:32

I have a name no one can spell and its honestly never bothered me. I dislike its unisex and Ive not met many with unisex names who likes this but that also gets shut down here

Personally I prefer Elaia and beautiful name good choice no matter what spelling you chose

jackstini · 15/05/2022 14:42

All of them I would have the first syllable as 'eh' rather than 'ee' - which were you going for?

Think Eleia is the best spelling

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 15/05/2022 14:29

Everything you have suggested would make me want to pronounce it el eye a not el lay a.
it's also a bit of a nothing blah name tbh.

Frazzled2207 · 15/05/2022 12:24

Elaiya is horrid sorry. A total unnecessary extra vowel.
Eleia
Elaya
Elaia
in that order

Original poster
Bexchap · 15/05/2022 10:37

Bexchap · 14/05/2022 22:46

So we are set on the baby girl name Elaya/Elaia pronounced E Lay a, however stuck on how to spell it, her nickname will probably be Laya/Laia

We are now thinking of the spelling Elaiya, thoughts on this?

OP posts:
cottagegardenflower · 15/05/2022 10:27

First spelling is a bit chavvy, second much nicer.

MissPocket · 15/05/2022 10:09

I'd probably go with Elaya if I wanted the e lay a pronunciation.

Dearmariacountmein · 15/05/2022 09:48

Elaya as it’s the most phonetic to read.

Although I wouldn’t worry too much about having to spell names. It’s always touted here when wanting to give your child a name that has many spellings.

I have a name that has consistently been in the top 50 if not 2 names in most English speaking countries for the past 30 years. Apart from a variation in some Slavic countries the spelling is consistent. More often than not I have to spell it out. My middle name has two common variations - again nearly always have to spell it and my last name is the most common spelling of a very common name - again still have to spell it more often than not.

FairyCakeWings · 15/05/2022 09:46

AlternativelyWired · 15/05/2022 09:03

'E lay 'er. No chance of bullying at high school there at all.

This is what I thought.

Aside from that, it’s a name that’s going to be said wrong or spelled wrong sometimes, I don’t think there is a spelling that will guarantee it never happens.

Diverseopinions · 15/05/2022 09:42

On a linked thought, I wonder if Elaine is due a revival?

To digress, I think, if I liked Elaia, I would probably try to go with Helena, pronounced Hel-ain-a, since names with many pretty sounds but not many other connotations of history or literature are less dense in connotations, and less versatile in letting the named person use name to embellish their sense of identity.

Elaia or Elaya is very, very pretty. It sounds like the name of the famous singer who died tragically young, Aliyah(?) which is also very pretty and maybe would be easier for people to get right.

Diverseopinions · 15/05/2022 09:35

I think CloseYourEyesAndSee is right.

There is the pronouncing right and the writing it correctly to consider, but Leia is pretty and unusual, but not a tongue twister.

CloseYourEyesAndSee · 15/05/2022 09:07

I would go for Leia
it's what you want to call her and everyone will pronounce it how you want because of Star Wars. You can see from this thread that people will always get the 'wrong' pronunciation of alaya however you spell it so do your DD a favour and make it simple.

Frazzled2207 · 15/05/2022 09:06

Eleia as pp noted
other spellings really could be more confusing

AlternativelyWired · 15/05/2022 09:03

'E lay 'er. No chance of bullying at high school there at all.

Rainbowbaby13 · 15/05/2022 08:52

I think Elaya is more likely to get pronounced the way you want

DemBonesDemBones · 15/05/2022 07:44

@SlatsandFlaps same here, but nice not to have the same name as everyone else.

Mumofgirls2017 · 15/05/2022 07:25

I prefer Elaia

Pineapplepine · 15/05/2022 00:44

Is it meant to be eh or ee at start?

i also think Eleia might be best option for pronouncing it eh lay ah but she’ll be spelling out her name forevermore.

ODFOx · 15/05/2022 00:27

I'm going to throw Eleia into the mix as Leia is well known a pronunciation.

PumpkinsandKittens · 15/05/2022 00:19

I Like E lay a but El eye a, is awful sounds like saying a liar, which kids will tease I imagine 😕

Kite22 · 14/05/2022 23:59

I'm with SlatsandFlaps

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