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Original poster

The name Liliana?

40 replies

Bellacatt · 20/06/2022 19:09

Currently pregnant with dd1 and OH is less open minded with names than I am! We both like Liliana (pronounced Lily-Anna). My main problem is that our last name is Lewis and I've never been keen on alliterative names but this sounds ok to me? What do you think?

I also have always loved Annie as a nickname and prefer it to Lily. I feel like people would naturally shorten to Lily...but would it be odd to give the nickname Annie? Coming from the 'ana' part.

Thanks!

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Enko · 23/06/2022 09:42

If you like it go for it. People get used to your pronunciation. The Lilyana i know says it Lily Arna. But I am in the SE 🙂. Annie could be a nn and much nicer than the lily derivatives.

Fivebeanchilli · 23/06/2022 08:40

Interesting. I would say Liliana as Lily Anna and have what would be considered a fairly posh RP accent.
I don't like it though. It's fussy. I would go for Anna or Anya if you wanted the Annie nn.

neveradullmoment99 · 23/06/2022 08:36

Or even Anna Lewis. A timeless name.

neveradullmoment99 · 23/06/2022 08:33

Annie Lewis is beautiful.
Not lilyana ( reminds me of a bad stage name)

Chaoslatte · 23/06/2022 08:29

I would also pronounce it Lily-Ah-na rather than Lily-Anna and the only one I know pronounces it like this too. What about Annelie or Anneliese? Kind of similar but the nickname Annie makes more sense.

KirstenBlest · 23/06/2022 08:26

@Luredbyapomegranate , I think you miss my point. Liliana will be pronounced Lily-Arna, as will Lilianna in some parts of the UK.

Glitternails1 · 23/06/2022 06:49

Lily-Anne (sounds similar to Lilliana) and Lily are very, very popular. If you don’t like the nn Lily then you’re going to be upset when all her friends call her Lily. If you don’t prefer Anna then why not call her that instead of Lilliana?

Luredbyapomegranate · 22/06/2022 21:12

KirstenBlest · 21/06/2022 08:28

@Luredbyapomegranate , how Ana is pronounced by spanish speakers has nothing to do with how Liliana is said in the UK.

In English, the double n usually shortens the preceding vowel.

A friend of mine is called Lianna (Lee-anna) and she gets called Lee-Arna a lot and hates it

@KirstenBlest Well they are both non-English names adopted here, and Ana is more familiar as a guide, so I would say it is relevant to the OPs question: how will people say it, rather than how should they say it

Double n rule - yep - but not universal eg Diana

greenteafiend · 22/06/2022 03:30

As PP says, you have to use "Lillianna" if you want an "anna" sound on the end.
Most people will say "Ah-na" if there is only one n.

KirstenBlest · 21/06/2022 17:04

@Gr33ngr33ngr4ss , bandana is ban-danna, but lots of people say band-arna

bandana is from portuguese not spanish but they both have Ana for Anna

emmathedilemma · 21/06/2022 16:41

I agree it's Arna not Anna sounding on the end. I don't like it, too frilly for me. I'm also sick of hearing the neighbours kids screeching it when they all play out!

Gr33ngr33ngr4ss · 21/06/2022 11:52

KirstenBlest · 21/06/2022 08:28

@Luredbyapomegranate , how Ana is pronounced by spanish speakers has nothing to do with how Liliana is said in the UK.

In English, the double n usually shortens the preceding vowel.

A friend of mine is called Lianna (Lee-anna) and she gets called Lee-Arna a lot and hates it

Unless you're going to live in Spain, no!

-Ana words, we use, like Victoriana or banana, are ah-nuh generally, in England. I haven't heard anyone say ban-anna. Yet!

3peassuit · 21/06/2022 08:35

It’s very pretty but it might get shortened to Lilly. Lilly seems very popular at the moment.

KirstenBlest · 21/06/2022 08:28

@Luredbyapomegranate , how Ana is pronounced by spanish speakers has nothing to do with how Liliana is said in the UK.

In English, the double n usually shortens the preceding vowel.

A friend of mine is called Lianna (Lee-anna) and she gets called Lee-Arna a lot and hates it

Luredbyapomegranate · 20/06/2022 22:59

RuthW · 20/06/2022 21:59

You need two Ns for Lillianna

Lilliana is Lilly-arna.

@RuthW

why? In Spain it’s written Ana and pronounced with a short a like the Uk Anna

In Norway it’s written Anna but pronounced Ah-nuh with a long A

one or two ns has nothing to do with it

RuthW · 20/06/2022 21:59

You need two Ns for Lillianna

Lilliana is Lilly-arna.

Luredbyapomegranate · 20/06/2022 20:55

I’d say it Lili-Anna, and I am in the South with a longer A accent. Arna is a scandi/ occasional US pronunciation, I don’t know why anyone would say it here.

However.. I think it’s very fussy and little-girly, TBH, even more when you add the alliteration of Lewis.

If you like Annie as a nn but want something longer as a full name what about Annalisa, Annabel, Susannah or Diana - or just Anna is nice too.

Original poster
Bellacatt · 20/06/2022 20:47

CaptainCallisto · 20/06/2022 20:35

I know three Lillianas (15, 9 and 4) - all pronounced Lilly Anna. I've never heard anyone say it with the 'Arna' pronunciation! I'm in Yorkshire, so non-rhotic 'r' country. Might be a regional pronunciation thing...

Glad you said this. I'm Nottingham and I don't think anyone around here would pronounce it 'arna' either...except maybe my one southern friend?!

OP posts:
CaptainCallisto · 20/06/2022 20:35

I know three Lillianas (15, 9 and 4) - all pronounced Lilly Anna. I've never heard anyone say it with the 'Arna' pronunciation! I'm in Yorkshire, so non-rhotic 'r' country. Might be a regional pronunciation thing...

SummerPuddings · 20/06/2022 20:33

Noel Fielding's Mrs.
I'd also pronounce it Lilli AH na.

TwoBigNoisyBoys · 20/06/2022 20:06

@Bellacatt I think it’s absolutely beautiful 🥰 and it’s almost exactly what I was going to call DS2 had he been a girl. Annie for short is gorgeous 😁

Squashedraddish · 20/06/2022 19:58

i would also say Liliarna. You could spell it Lilianna I think to get the pronunciation you want. I love Annie as a stand alone name- it’s not that common, it’s pretty and unfrilly.

other Annie names could be:
Anwen
Aneira
Anastasia
Anna

Annabel
Arianna
Arianwen
Anaya
anais
Annaliese
Anita

17caterpillars1mouse · 20/06/2022 19:56

I know two (one is 11 the other 6) though both use your spelling but pronounce it Lily-arna

Both are shortened to Lily

HumphreysCorner · 20/06/2022 19:50

Lilliana is lovely x

HuntingoftheSnark · 20/06/2022 19:41

I know a Liliana, pronounced Lily Anna. That's how her parents introduced her so as far as I'm concerned, that's how it's pronounced.