Page 2 | 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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Borborygmus · 24/04/2024 11:31

RemarkablyBrightCreature · 24/04/2024 04:26

Absolutely! I’m baffled by all the “never seen Star Wars so wouldn’t have a clue” comments! Such a famous pop culture reference 😳. I’ve never seen Game of Thrones but still know that Jon Snow is one of the main characters 🤷‍♀️.

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Well I've not seen Star Wars since 1977, and I don't remember how they pronounced the name, but this:

https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/star-wars-mark-hamill-maybe-weve-been-mispronouncing-leia-this-whole-time/

suggests various pronunciations were used.

And the only Jon Snow I've ever heard of was a presenter on Channel 4 News!

Mark Hamill: maybe we've been mispronouncing Leia in Star Wars this whole time?

Is Leia pronounced LAY-a or LEE-a?

https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/star-wars-mark-hamill-maybe-weve-been-mispronouncing-leia-this-whole-time

Original poster

Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 11:08

TheFunHasGone · 23/04/2024 15:06

Although I have a sister called leah and people spelling it leia just seems ridiculous to me

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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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Original poster

Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 11:05

NightPuffins · 23/04/2024 19:48

@Mountainfreshair "I can understand why it could be seen as Lee-ah as Leigh would be said as Lee rather than Lay"

In the English language pronunciation can vary so much though!
Leigh-on-Sea in Essex is as "lee"
Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire is as "lay"
The name Kayleigh is as "lee"
The word sleigh is as "lay"

So use the name you love as most will get your chosen pronunciation first time, anyone else will only need correcting once.

Edited

Thanks for your response, this has been really helpful as I had been trying to think of words that has the lei in and hadn’t thought of those. It seems it could be both and would be right either way.

I think you are right as people will get it right once they know her. I have a simple name that can’t really be spelt wrong, and I still spell it out when I’m asked for my email address or it on phone calls etc. out of habit, it doesn’t bother me but I was thinking it’s because no one ever says my name wrong so I’m not sensitive to it.

I do love Leia so think I will go with my heart but didn’t want that to cause her problems later in her life.

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Original poster

Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 11:00

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.

Thanks for your response, we are in the U.K. but I do think you have valid points because as you’ve mentioned some people will just say it as it’s sounded out if they aren’t familiar with the other ways of saying it.

I’m hoping once people know her they will get it right forever but also don’t want to make it difficult for her as she deserves a name she loves too.

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InTheRainOnATrain · 24/04/2024 10:59

Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 10:50

Thanks very much. It seems to be that people would say ‘Laya’ if they’ve seen the Star Wars films but ‘Leah’ if not.

Out of interest, how old is she? As another poster pointed out, I don’t have any idea if children now would be aware of Star Wars

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Children definitely aware of Star Wars! We’ve been to 3 Star Wars parties this year. DD in year 2 so kids are 6/7. It’s massive again, I think mostly because of all the lego Star Wars stuff and also the new movies.

ScubaDivingSpiderMonkey · 24/04/2024 10:57

'I don’t have any idea if children now would be aware of Star Wars'

Star Wars is still a massive thing and will continue to be a massive thing.

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!

ScubaDivingSpiderMonkey · 24/04/2024 10:56

I’ve never seen Star Wars and my first thought was..

…Leia is pronounced ‘Laya’ as in Princess Leia from Star Wars

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Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 10:55

usernother · 24/04/2024 08:32

@RemarkablyBrightCreature
Absolutely! I’m baffled by all the “never seen Star Wars so wouldn’t have a clue” comments! Such a famous pop culture reference 😳. I’ve never seen Game of Thrones but still know that Jon Snow is one of the main characters 🤷‍♀️

And as explained, those of us who have haven't watched a Star Wars film are probably aware of the character but have never heard the name being spoken so don't know how it's pronounced.
Also, I've never watched Game of Thrones and I've never heard of Jon Snow.

I think the spelling seems to be the other part of this I need to consider as even if you were aware Leia was said as Laya in the films, I don’t know how many people would spell it Leia if they heard me pronounce it Laya.

I’m thinking of (hopefully) future class party invites or as an adult renewing car insurance sort of thing and people assuming the spelling is Laya and her needing to correct it constantly.

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Xenia · 24/04/2024 10:53

It is going to saddle her for life with complications which seems a bit pointless. Cannot you go for something like Sarah or Mary. She will then have a simpler life. I have not watched star wars.
If I saw Leia written down first of all I would think it were a typo, then I would take it into bits - lei is "lee" and that a at the end is a short a . So Lee ah (not lee ay).

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Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 10:50

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 23/04/2024 16:55

I’d say Lee-ah because DD has a Leia in her year said that way. Lots of people call her Lay-ah initially though - like Star Wars.

Thanks very much. It seems to be that people would say ‘Laya’ if they’ve seen the Star Wars films but ‘Leah’ if not.

Out of interest, how old is she? As another poster pointed out, I don’t have any idea if children now would be aware of Star Wars

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Original poster

Mountainfreshair · 24/04/2024 10:46

Thanks everyone for all the responses, it’s been helpful to get an outside perspective as I’ve thought about it too much.

I want to give her a name I love, but also would hate for her to want to change it when she’s older because I didn’t think through the awkwardness as some posters mentioned they knew others had done/ wanted to.

It seems the general consensus is that people would pronounce is Laya if they were aware of Star Wars but more likely to spell / say it differently if they hadn’t seen the films.

For those wondering, we are from the U.K. if that changes it slightly.

We are booked to register on Friday so will update once a final decision has been made.

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pinkmags · 24/04/2024 10:10

And as explained, those of us who have haven't watched a Star Wars film are probably aware of the character but have never heard the name being spoken so don't know how it's pronounced.

I'm not even aware of the character called Leia. Never seen star wars or heard of the princess in star wars

InTheRainOnATrain · 24/04/2024 09:30

BuddingPeonies · 24/04/2024 07:04

Why would watching a film (unless you have subtitles running) teach you how to spell a word?
Disclaimer: I'm dyslexic. It wouldn't help me, so if the answer is it helps most, I'll accept it.

The films have all that writing at the start so it’s probably written in there somewhere.

Also when Carrie Fisher died a few years ago it was written a lot in the press. The Friends episode ‘The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy’. I saw a pretty terrifying ‘Princess Leia’ doll with a giant head in a toy shop the other day and it was written in the box. Etc.

Clearinguptheclutter · 24/04/2024 08:34

Like the princess! I think it’s obvious how to pronounce Leia, whereas Leah could be lay-a or Lee-a

usernother · 24/04/2024 08:32

@RemarkablyBrightCreature
Absolutely! I’m baffled by all the “never seen Star Wars so wouldn’t have a clue” comments! Such a famous pop culture reference 😳. I’ve never seen Game of Thrones but still know that Jon Snow is one of the main characters 🤷‍♀️

And as explained, those of us who have haven't watched a Star Wars film are probably aware of the character but have never heard the name being spoken so don't know how it's pronounced.
Also, I've never watched Game of Thrones and I've never heard of Jon Snow.

Beatrixslobber · 24/04/2024 07:07

Leah.

BuddingPeonies · 24/04/2024 07:04

Why would watching a film (unless you have subtitles running) teach you how to spell a word?
Disclaimer: I'm dyslexic. It wouldn't help me, so if the answer is it helps most, I'll accept it.

RemarkablyBrightCreature · 24/04/2024 04:26

mathanxiety · 23/04/2024 14:46

I've never seen Star Wars either. But I have managed to become familiar with the name of an iconic character of 20th and 21st century cinema regardless.

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Absolutely! I’m baffled by all the “never seen Star Wars so wouldn’t have a clue” comments! Such a famous pop culture reference 😳. I’ve never seen Game of Thrones but still know that Jon Snow is one of the main characters 🤷‍♀️.

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.

Hettie24 · 24/04/2024 01:48

Leia = Lay-a.
Its a lovely name. Introduce her as Lay-a and she’ll be called Lay-a.

I can’t see how Leia can be mispronounced, personally.

There will always be posters on line who will go against the majority, simply because they want to be different (awkward).

seven201 · 23/04/2024 22:43

I think it's a lovely name and most people would pronounce it correctly. I pronounce it the Star Wars way but it's what I think of when I hear the name. I think oh I met a nice Leia once. Just don't start introducing her as "Leia, like process leia" and it shouldn't become a thing. It's nowhere near the same level of say Alexa (also a lovely name).

CelynMelyn · 23/04/2024 22:29

pinkmags · 23/04/2024 22:01

My SIL is Leila (Pronounced Layla).

My MIL is Sheila (Pronounced Sheela)

My mum is Eileen. My aunt is Eira.

If anyone wanted their dd to be known as Leeya they would name them Leah. Why would someone name their baby Leia and expect them to be called Leah?

They are two different names with different spellings and different pronunciations.

Maybe it’s a regional thing? I’m Welsh. I know quite a few Lia’s (pronounced Leeya). My DD’s best friends name has been pronounced “Liar” in England.

TheFunHasGone · 23/04/2024 22:24

Luckycloverz · 23/04/2024 14:20

Girl in my sons class is called Leia, she gets called a mix of laya or leah - she apparently hates the Star wars reference and wants to change it to Leah spelling when she's older because she's always correcting people with spelling and pronunciation 😬

So what is her actual name? Surely it's
Lee ah If she wants to change it to leah because she doesn't like correcting people with spelling and pronunciation?

Kalevala · 23/04/2024 22:07

CelynMelyn · 23/04/2024 21:37

My SIL is Leila (Pronounced Layla). Nobody has called her Leela in 14 years.

Leia is pronounced Laya. Leah is pronounced Leeya.

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How will people know though if they don't know the name? Ei can be pronounced three ways.