Aulay?

Oil of.....?

Some names work well without the Mac (Donald, Innes, Gregor) because they’re still used as first names. However, I think Auley is in the same category as Leod, Duff and Pherson.

Agree, about some not making the connection between Aulay and Macaulay that is why IMHO it 'makes more sense' to just use the name Macaulay. That was also the point I was trying to make as well 😂

I can't get the 'Lee' sound from that at all. I'm Scottish but Macauley and Auley would sound 'aww-lay' to me

I think it’s awful and sounds incomplete and more like a nn that teenagers would use based on McAualay being their surname (and I say that as someone who lives in central Scotland). I wouldn’t have thought of it sounding like Ollie as to me it’s more like Orley but in certain accents it will.

Olè 💃🏻

English is not my first language and when I saw it written down the first connotation was "Ulay" (Martin's Abramovic ex-partner). Not many people will have the same train 9f thought though. I like the name :)

I know an Auri.

It's an awkward name.

I don't think it means ancestor's descendent?

At least some Macauleys are from Mac Amhlaoibh (Irish spelling) with Amhlaoibh being the Irish form of the Norse name Olaf and Mac meaning son, so Amhlaoibh's son.

She wouldn't be changing the name though. Just the spelling.

People getting the name slightly wrong if they have to guess isn’t a reason to not choose a name you love. You’d presumably just tell them how it’s pronounced? Rather than change the name you love to Ollie because some people will accidentally pronounce Auley as “Ollie” 🤣🤣🤣

I'm in Scotland. My DH cousin named her kid that. Most people get his name wrong and call him Ollie. I just assumed it was the Scottish spelling of Ollie tbh.

Ollie spelled normally would be better
All phone correspondance will come through as Ollie meaning he can't use it as Id for bank accounts etc...
And they sound exactly the same

I'd pronounce Macauley correctly because of the C, just as I would the word "cause" or "caught." Without the C I'd pronounce Aulay as if I were starting the phrase "au lait" or "au fait."

And the ending of Macauley is a "lee" sound, just as you've spelled it "ley." Like the ending of "alley." I think "lay" for most people would be pronounced just as it looks, rather than the lee the sound.

None of this is a problem if the OP and their family are going to forever remain in Scotland, but it's just something to bear in mind that a lot wouldn't pronounce it that way.

I think it is nice.

Mack and Lockie sounds nice together (if your older son is Lachlan).

No, it would never have crossed my mind to pronounce it 'olé' - Macauley is a well known name and everyone knows that all the mac names just mean son of [name].

I've just asked my Scottish friend (Aberdeen) how they'd pronounce it. Olé or Orlay. They wouldn't connect it to McCauley, and I don't think most people would.

I'm Scottish and wouldn't have an issue with the pronunciation but I'd assume it was Ollie, short for Oliver if I'd heard and not seen it written down.

I think it's fine for a child or an adult. I prefer Macaulay though and Mack as a nickname.

I agree my first thought was to pronounce it as "oh-lay." I'm not Scottish though, potentially it wouldn't be mispronounced in Scotland?

I’ve not heard it before, it’s not really to my taste but equally I wouldn’t think anything negative if someone I knew named their baby this, it’s unusual in that it’s not very used but it doesn’t feel massively out there or like you’re going for something ‘yooniq’ so I don’t think it matters that it’s not very used. If you like it I see no reason not to use it.

Not a fan OP…. Before reading your pronunciation I assumed it was pronounced the same as Olé! Like you know when Spanish people do the red cloth thing with bulls and then go ooooollléé! But maybe if you’re from Scotland then people will know how to pronounce it properly.

I have never heard it before but I really like it! I don’t think it’s too cutesy at all.

I’m not convinced that even fellow Scots would make the pronunciation leap from MacAulay to Aulay, and pronounce it accordingly.

It’s an Irish name originally, from MacAmhalghaidh, and some of DH’s family are Macaulays (spelled like that), so I’m very familiar with the surname, but if I came across a child called Aulay, I wouldn’t make the connection, and would probably vaguely assume it was pronounced as in Oil of Olay/ café au lait until told otherwise.

I think you’re slightly misunderstanding the etymology of the surname — it means ‘son of Amhalghaidh’. ‘Aulay’ is just the anglicised form of Amhalghaidh.

It sounds quite unfinished to me. I think many will assume it's short for Macaulay.

It's not to my taste at all, but as long as you both like it that's all that matters.