How would you pronounce Leia? Running out of time to register

Mountainfreshair · 2024-04-23T13:01:00+00:00

First time poster but would love your thoughts on how you would pronounce Leia? We don’t have long left to register the birth and had decided on Leia long before I was pregnant, I’m now doubting it as worried that she will have a lifetime of people mis-spelling or saying her name wrong.. My intention would be Leia, pronounced as Laya. The other option is Harper but aware this is very popular at the moment but still lovely and suits her too. Thanks in advance

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vividdreamingagain · 06/05/2024 10:33

I would pronounce lay-a. Nice if she doesn't get a reputation and love up to her name.

Apolloneuro · 06/05/2024 08:43

Lay ah

The one Maya I know pronounces it My ah.

user1492757084 · 06/05/2024 05:38

The Star Wars way if you want it said the same way.

Thunderpants88 · 06/05/2024 03:56

I have not seen Star Wars ever but know the reference from friends and would pronounce it the same was as the princess from the friends reference

Kalevala · 25/04/2024 23:07

Mumposter · 25/04/2024 15:22

Not really - Star Wars is popular but you are generalising that everyone would categorise Star Wars as “general knowledge” - many people have no interest in it whatsoever!

i agree with the above poster, if it is mispronounced it can always be corrected with the right pronunciation. More likely than not, the name will be pronounced correctly anyway :) it’s a lovely name

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Episodes I to III were my generation, but I even found those confusing, not really my thing.

NooneElseIsSingingMySong · 25/04/2024 23:05

It’s my dog’s name 🤣 she is a Princess! I don’t regret the dog’s name but I would say many people struggle with it. Most people who read it (e.g. at the vet) don’t know how to say it. I’ve had people call her Leah, Layla, even a ‘was it Freya?’ but it’s 50/50 with ‘Oh as in Star Wars?’.
I do think it’s a lovely name but be prepared for her to have a life time of correcting people 🤷🏻‍♀️

TheCatIsInCharge · 25/04/2024 22:59

Like princess leia obvs.

Mumposter · 25/04/2024 15:22

mathanxiety · 24/04/2024 19:30

The Star Wars movies are part of Anglophone culture at this point. Knowledge of the major characters' names comes under the heading 'general knowledge'.

Non-English speakers would equally be aware of the names of the characters. The movie series has made billions in revenue worldwide since the late 1970s.

In addition, the death of Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, was treated as a major event by mainstream media.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38446753.amp

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Not really - Star Wars is popular but you are generalising that everyone would categorise Star Wars as “general knowledge” - many people have no interest in it whatsoever!

i agree with the above poster, if it is mispronounced it can always be corrected with the right pronunciation. More likely than not, the name will be pronounced correctly anyway :) it’s a lovely name

CelesteCunningham · 25/04/2024 11:29

Realistically, I think it's like other names with more than one accepted pronunciation like Naomi or Helena.

I think most people will happily switch to your chosen pronunciation even if they guess Leah at first.

gkdf · 25/04/2024 11:28

I'd pronounce laya. I'd assume anyone wanting leeya would use 'Leah'.

I like it and think it's a refreshing name choice.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 25/04/2024 11:27

I'd pronounce it Lay-a.

@rubyslippers - Leah is pronounced Lee-ah, I think - I've never seen it pronounced as Lay-a.

RoseBucket · 25/04/2024 11:25

Lee ya.

Commonsense22 · 25/04/2024 11:23

Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 11:08

I can’t imagine Leah being spelt that way either but it seems a lot of people would from this thread. I think it’s more likely Leia would be pronounced Leah, than Leah as Laya in the U.K. as it’s more familiar.

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Yes, Leah is a different pronunciation.

Leia is find and I am sure the vast majority of people will pronounce it right. It's a beautiful name.

Xenia · 24/04/2024 22:34

Yes, I guessed at lee ah as I was thinking of things like Leigh on Sea (Lee on sea). That would also sound a bit like Lee Ann another girl's name.

You cannot go far wrong with Queens of England in my view - Anne, Mary, Elizabeth and that kind of thing.

mathanxiety · 24/04/2024 19:30

Mummyfry · 24/04/2024 04:18

That’s a pretty rude comment - I don’t think people are being awkward or against the majority - if you don’t know anything about Star Wars and look at the name itself - it can be pronounced either way as Leeya or Laya, especially to non English native people. Majority of people in UK will pronounce it as Laya and I agree if using it in UK then if you want a Leeya you should spell it as Leah or Lia.

The Star Wars movies are part of Anglophone culture at this point. Knowledge of the major characters' names comes under the heading 'general knowledge'.

Non-English speakers would equally be aware of the names of the characters. The movie series has made billions in revenue worldwide since the late 1970s.

In addition, the death of Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, was treated as a major event by mainstream media.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38446753.amp

Predictablenamechange1 · 24/04/2024 17:05

Laya. I have a friend called Leia, never known anyone to have an issue with how to pronounce it!

The other pronunciation would be spelled Leah.

TheFunHasGone · 24/04/2024 17:00

Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 11:08

I can’t imagine Leah being spelt that way either but it seems a lot of people would from this thread. I think it’s more likely Leia would be pronounced Leah, than Leah as Laya in the U.K. as it’s more familiar.

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I wouldn't over think it if you love the name, I think it's beautiful

I have a Cory and I've lost count of the times he's told me people have pronounced it Corrie in the last 20 odd years. He just corrects them and people get it right more than they get it wrong

SuzzySusan · 24/04/2024 15:46

Lee-ah sounds about right

Kalevala · 24/04/2024 15:41

Stigglet · 24/04/2024 14:05

Nope. The most recent film featuring Leia was released in 2019. Plus Star Wars is huge - there are two more live-action series due to be released this year, and another film in 2026, with three more to follow.

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Why give an age range at all then when the first film was almost 50 years ago?

Stigglet · 24/04/2024 14:05

Kalevala · 24/04/2024 12:41

Don't you mean over 50?

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Nope. The most recent film featuring Leia was released in 2019. Plus Star Wars is huge - there are two more live-action series due to be released this year, and another film in 2026, with three more to follow.

Kalevala · 24/04/2024 12:43

pinkmags · 24/04/2024 12:08

I’ve never seen Game of Thrones but still know that Jon Snow is one of the main characters

That's the one from Channel 4 News!

That's the only one I'd heard of. Or there's a president snow in the hunger games. Never read the game of thrones books.

Workawayxx · 24/04/2024 12:43

Definitely lay-ah like the princess. It’s beautiful! I much prefer it to harper.

Kalevala · 24/04/2024 12:41

Stigglet · 24/04/2024 10:56

Literally everyone under 50 is going to pronounce it like General Leia, leader of the Resistance. It’s a totally badass name, I love it!

Don't you mean over 50?

pinkmags · 24/04/2024 12:08

I’ve never seen Game of Thrones but still know that Jon Snow is one of the main characters

That's the one from Channel 4 News!

pinkmags · 24/04/2024 12:08

I don’t know how many people would spell it Leia if they heard me pronounce it Laya.

But Laya is Ly-ah similar to Maya