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