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Original poster

Baby name Leni

80 replies

Joy1990 · 20/05/2024 20:34

Hi what are people’s thoughts on the baby name Leni? I love it but pronounced Lay-nee but I’m worried she would get called Lennie all the time? What would most of you see this name as?

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pinkmags · 21/05/2024 08:08

There is absolutely no Y sound in Leni or in Eleni. Englisch speakers seem to add random sounds Confused

cheapskatemum · 21/05/2024 08:04

I've liked the name since watching the American series Everwood. There was a character called Laynie Hart. If you prefer the spelling Leni, go for it. For what it's worth, I would have pronounced it like Laynie even spelt the way you suggest. In English spelling it would need double n to be Lennie.

I have a similar problem with a professional I have to deal with at work. Her name is Roni. I haven't met her yet, so I'm not sure if it's pronounced "Roh-knee" or like the male nickname for Ronald: Ronnie.

FoleyHuck · 21/05/2024 07:58

I don't think it's fair to say it will be 'mis-pronounced' in Britian, I think the problem lies in that it's just generally pronounced differently in Britain to the German pronunciation that the OP prefers.

A good friend of mine is German and called Eva, intended to be pronounced 'E-fa' (closer to the Irish name Aoife than the British pronunciation of Eva). She lives in Britain now so for ease of day to day life just goes by the British pronunciation of the name.

Toooldforthis36 · 21/05/2024 07:50

BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 20/05/2024 21:33

It's really not unique (or silly as a PP also said). It's the 10th most popular German girls name and "Lay-nee" is the standard German pronunciation of the name Leni.

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Missing the point here. It’s not the name poster means - it’s the butchered spellings!

JacketPotatoFoodOfTheGods · 21/05/2024 07:45

Makes me think of Lenny Kravitz.
But that's not a bad thing!

Maidez · 21/05/2024 07:22

sprigatito · 20/05/2024 20:44

It makes me think of Leni Riefenstahl

Snap.

awesomeaardvark · 21/05/2024 07:21

Have you read the book 'Of Mice and Men'? It's on the English syllabus and the main protagonist is called Lennie. You will get LOTS of people (if you live in UK) mispronouncing Leni.

twentysevendresses · 21/05/2024 07:17

Beautiful name OP, really elegant. Don't worry about it being mispronounced..it's easily corrected.

BreeTown · 21/05/2024 06:54

HeyLala · 20/05/2024 21:29

@supercalafragilisticexpealidocious

Yes, Leni is pronounced Laynee.
And the Greek version Eleni, is pronounced E-laynee.

As a greek I disagree.
The name is spelled 'Ελένη', which would make its pronunciation as Eh- leh- nee . Never heard of an Eleni called as E-laynee in Greece.

Apollo365 · 21/05/2024 06:26

Vimtoad · 21/05/2024 00:25

Lana

Noooo because if you spell it backwards that becomes her NN!

MountCaramel · 21/05/2024 00:30

It doesn't transfer well to the UK, I'd go for Helena with the nn Leni. Leni on it's own looks like Lenny or Lena misspelled.

Vimtoad · 21/05/2024 00:25

Lana

VerityUnreasonble · 21/05/2024 00:19

I would have read it as "Lee - nee" but by the looks of the thread that's just me!

Leni (Layni) is a lovely name and it is the sort of pronunciation that you'd hope people would only need correcting once.

Daisybuttercup12345 · 20/05/2024 22:30

I would think Lenny too.
What about Leoni or Lenora?
Elena
Elaina, Lainie for short.
Layla
Lilah
Laura

shoopshoopdedoo · 20/05/2024 22:28

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

RogueFemale · 20/05/2024 22:20

LiterallyOnFire · 20/05/2024 21:39

What that got to do with this thread? Confused

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Because people are suggesting different spellings to Leni such as Laney or Lainey or Layni, etc.

BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 20/05/2024 22:19

Apologies @RogueFemale. I see what you meant now.

RogueFemale · 20/05/2024 22:17

sprigatito · 20/05/2024 21:18

Nice little example of the intersection between snobbery and racism there.

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Racism? Please explain.

RogueFemale · 20/05/2024 22:16

BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 20/05/2024 21:33

It's really not unique (or silly as a PP also said). It's the 10th most popular German girls name and "Lay-nee" is the standard German pronunciation of the name Leni.

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I was referring to the suggested Laney or Lainey or Layni, etc. spellings.

I know Leni is a German name.

RogueFemale · 20/05/2024 22:14

WittyFatball · 20/05/2024 22:02

Leni (Laynee) is a very classic/old fashioned name.

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I was referring to the suggested Laney or Lainey or Layni, etc. spellings.

I know Leni is a German name.

WittyFatball · 20/05/2024 22:04

I love Leni with the German pronounciation, yes English speakers might say Lennie on seeing it written down but you only need to correct people.

WittyFatball · 20/05/2024 22:02

RogueFemale · 20/05/2024 21:09

Avoid 'unique' spellings of names. They always sound awful and chavvy.

Leni (Laynee) is a very classic/old fashioned name.

BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 20/05/2024 22:00

WaltzingWaters · 20/05/2024 21:57

I spent years living in Greece and only ever heard the name pronounced El-leh-nee, never El-lay-nee. I believe in the US it’s often pronounced more El-lay-nee or uh-lay-nee.

Leni is a beautiful name and looks lovely too, but I initially thought Lennie when I clicked this thread. Lay-nee also lovely but I’d use a different spelling.

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Yes I agree, I've only ever known the Greek name Eleni pronounced as Eh-leh-nee (but I'm not Greek so happy to be corrected by any Greeks!) But the German name Leni is pronounced as lay-nee.

FortunataTagnips · 20/05/2024 22:00

Riefenstahl. Sorry.

WaltzingWaters · 20/05/2024 21:57

HeyLala · 20/05/2024 21:29

@supercalafragilisticexpealidocious

Yes, Leni is pronounced Laynee.
And the Greek version Eleni, is pronounced E-laynee.

I spent years living in Greece and only ever heard the name pronounced El-leh-nee, never El-lay-nee. I believe in the US it’s often pronounced more El-lay-nee or uh-lay-nee.

Leni is a beautiful name and looks lovely too, but I initially thought Lennie when I clicked this thread. Lay-nee also lovely but I’d use a different spelling.