Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Shay or Shiloh?

36 replies

Samzzz · 10/08/2024 22:02

Which name for our baby girl?🌸

We ideally want an ā€˜L’ middle name but not 100% set on it. Also not sure on Shay or Shae spelling. Ideas so far:
Shay Louise
Shiloh Lucy
or
Shay Elizabeth
Shiloh Alice

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
ladycarlotta · 15/08/2024 17:25

I really like Shiloh. Shiloh Charis/Carys? Shiloh Alice is okay.

Surprised by all the love for Shayla which sounds kind of washed-up Nashville star to me.

Strangerthanfictions · 14/08/2024 22:52

I came on to suggest Shayla or shaylah and agree with Shiloh feeling too celeb and shay being more male.

Some other ideas

Sile (pronounced sheelah)
Siobhan (shi von)
Sinead ( shin aid)

Daisybuttercup12345 · 14/08/2024 22:45

Shayla Marie
Shayla Esmae
Shayla Roxanne
Shayla Ann
Shayla Wren

BetteLaSwet · 11/08/2024 11:26

I knew a girl called Shae some years ago and she was the brat from hell, so that puts me off.

I know a male Irish Shay, in his 50s.

Shiloh is just too Angelina for me OP.

Melonjuice · 11/08/2024 11:10

I’ve always known these to be boys names, but I prefer Shay

Firsttimebabymummy · 11/08/2024 11:08

Shiloh Alice is lovely.
Don't think shiloh works with L middle name..

Not keen on Shay, I've met 2 and both were boys.

PreggersWithBaby2 · 11/08/2024 10:35

Shay

Whoever suggested Shayla - I absolutely love that!!!

WiganPie · 11/08/2024 10:21

Neither, but of the two, Shiloh.
Shay is OK short for Seamus or something.
Shae looks a bit naff.

Your middle names are far better than your first names.

MoralOrLegal · 11/08/2024 08:41

My only reference for Shiloh is as one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War.

shoopshoopdedoo · 11/08/2024 08:38

I only know Shay as a boy name.

So I prefer Shiloh, but it makes me think of Brad and Angelina as I’ve never heard of another.

Moreteaandchocolate · 11/08/2024 08:35

Shiloh from your two ideas.

Shayla as suggested above is nicer, and you can have the nn Shay, with a more feminine option if wanted later in life?

Fandabbydaisy · 11/08/2024 08:19

Shiloh for me. I have met a shay but he was a boy.

Nicebloomers · 11/08/2024 07:29

Shiloh Alice.

NashvilleQueen · 11/08/2024 06:24

I love Shay for a man so not sure how I feel for a girl. I like Shiloh.

Don't like Shayla at all because it makes me want to sing 'gin gan goolie'

mathanxiety · 11/08/2024 02:16

Fwiw, the only Shays I know are female, though it can be short for Seamus (Irish boy name).

mathanxiety · 11/08/2024 02:15

Both are nice, but they're very different in style.

I'd call Shay a surfer girl name, and Shiloh has hippie vibes.

Depends on what you're looking for.

I think I prefer Shay (or Shae).
Any of your middle names would go well with it. Maybe Elizabeth to balance the shortness?

theduchessofspork · 11/08/2024 02:09

Neither - Shae/Shay makes me think of the Hooker in GOT or a not great Irish man’s named

Shiloh makes me think of Brangelina of the tribe of children, or a silo

Sorcha
Shona is quite nice
Sacha
Clio
Juno

NewName24 · 11/08/2024 00:16

Not a fan of either.

I am another who has only ever come across Shay as a boy's name.

User6761 · 10/08/2024 23:51

I only know Shay as a boys name. Associate Shiloh with Shiloh Pitt. Personally, of girls 'Sh' names, I prefer Shona/Seona.

MirandaBlu · 10/08/2024 23:41

I think they're both OK, and both have some history of being used for both girls and boys.

Shiloh is unisex, as a lot of Hebrew names are. This one feels a bit on trend with -o sound endings for both girls and boys, but feels grounded enough that I wouldn't worry too much about it becoming dated (via a spike in popularity and then falling out of favour). I like the combination of this with a more classic English-language name but maybe without a strong "l" sound.

For Shay, I do have the idea of it as a male Irish name in my head, but I also think of the Canadian actress Shay Mitchell and of a former colleague (American, female, and would be in her early 50s now). For what it's worth, the Shay I knew personally said that her name was sometimes confused with the pronoun "she", but I guess that depends on accents where you live.

MidLifeWoman · 10/08/2024 23:38

Shay to me is a boy’s name. Love Shiloh, but not sure about the repetition of the L with the middle name. Shiloh Alice is my favourite of the lot, but I would prefer a middle name that starts with a consonant, eg Shiloh Cerys.

chattyness · 10/08/2024 23:29

BrutusMcDogface · 10/08/2024 22:28

How about Shayla?

That's much nicer, Shayla Elizabeth would sound love!y

TwinklyNight · 10/08/2024 23:27

I now have that Bob Dylan song Shilo in my head.
Of the two I couldn't chose one over the other. I never knew anybody by either of those names.

RaininSummer · 10/08/2024 22:44

Thanks OP.

mamamilkmachine · 10/08/2024 22:36

@BrutusMcDogface Shayla Alice is nice šŸ‘Œ