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Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby boy, Aris, Elias or Zacharia

40 replies

Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 10:53

We just found out the gender and I was prepared more for a girl so not many baby boys names. I am Greek and my husband Moroccan and we live in uk. So we want a name to be easy and nice for UK but in our cultures as well. We short listed the above, which is your favourites? Aris I think is my favourite, what do you think?

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m00ngirl · 20/09/2024 22:42

MagicianMoth · 18/09/2024 11:03

Just to let you know round our way aris is slang for arse.
I just looked up why that might be and it’s double Cockney rhyming slang - aris from Aristotle, Aristotle rhymes with bottle, bottle and glass = arse, which I didn’t know!

First thing I thought of too was "up the aris" unfortunately... 🙈 a lovely name but I'd be cautious of it in England. Agree "Ari" will be taken as "Harry". "Ares" could work if pronounced phonetically like "are" "res" or "a-res" (whereas cockney "aris" is pronounced like "Harris") but does also have the downside of being an anagram of arse..!

I always think if you really love a name just go for it though. What other people think should only matter a bit. Also maybe cockney is dying out, I'm in my 30s, I doubt teenagers would make the same association so who knows about your baby's generation.

KirstenBlest · 20/09/2024 22:30

Is Iziah a name? Did you mean Isaiah?

Daisybuttercup12345 · 20/09/2024 22:25

Elias is the nicest.
Iziah?

MagicianMoth · 20/09/2024 09:07

Bbq1 · 18/09/2024 11:50

Me too and not the point of the thread but wondering how gkass rhymes with arse. Glars?

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Yes that's how us Essex types say glass - glarss. Like barth for bath.
My husband who is Scottish says I put Rs in when unnecessary and take out the ones that should be there - eg in "car".

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 19/09/2024 23:01

Ilias or Ari are fine - they aren’t well known in the UK but have no negative connotations and everyone will soon get used to the spelling and pronunciation you want to use - people will likely ask first since they are uncommon.

But Zacharia will have to put up with everyone adding an H to the end of his name and Elias will have to often correct the pronunciation - as Zachariah and “ Ee- lye- us” are much more widely used.

Button28384738 · 19/09/2024 17:40

KirstenBlest · 19/09/2024 08:57

Aris is the best of the 3, but cockney rhyming slang.
Elias is El-eye-as in England. Zac is ok.

I'd use Ilyas, or whatever the Morrocan spelling is.

Yes in English Elias would be pronounced"El eye ass" so would spell Ilias if that bother you

KirstenBlest · 19/09/2024 17:39

The 2 'Ilyas' I know say it as IL-y-as. One is Moroccan, other isn't.

LondonLass61 · 19/09/2024 17:23

MagicianMoth · 18/09/2024 11:03

Just to let you know round our way aris is slang for arse.
I just looked up why that might be and it’s double Cockney rhyming slang - aris from Aristotle, Aristotle rhymes with bottle, bottle and glass = arse, which I didn’t know!

First thing I thought of tbh 😳

user1471428569 · 19/09/2024 17:21

Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 13:45

What are your thoughts on the spelling Ilias? Instead of Elias?

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KirstenBlest · 19/09/2024 08:57

Aris is the best of the 3, but cockney rhyming slang.
Elias is El-eye-as in England. Zac is ok.

I'd use Ilyas, or whatever the Morrocan spelling is.

GoodVibesHere · 18/09/2024 21:10

Ari sounds like you're saying Harry but dropping the H.

I like Zach.

shoopshoopdedoo · 18/09/2024 21:05

Like all of them. Would definitely avoid Aris due to the arse connection! Ari would avoid this though, and I like it.

user1471428569 · 18/09/2024 15:57

Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 13:45

What are your thoughts on the spelling Ilias? Instead of Elias?

Almost the same family background as you.
Our son is Elias. 😍
In Morroco they will pronounce it ee lee ess whatever the spelling.
I personally don't like the Ilias spelling.

sel2223 · 18/09/2024 15:48

Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 15:27

The name is pronounced like ee-LEE-as, 3 syllabus with emphasis on the second.

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With that pronunciation, I actually think Ilias works better.

Elias I would say as El-eee-us, whereas Ilias I would say how you've written it

Theoldwoman · 18/09/2024 15:29

Elias.

Original poster
Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 15:27

sel2223 · 18/09/2024 14:14

How are they pronounced?

I would pronounce those as 2 different names

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The name is pronounced like ee-LEE-as, 3 syllabus with emphasis on the second.

OP posts:
sel2223 · 18/09/2024 14:14

Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 13:45

What are your thoughts on the spelling Ilias? Instead of Elias?

How are they pronounced?

I would pronounce those as 2 different names

Original poster
Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 13:45

What are your thoughts on the spelling Ilias? Instead of Elias?

OP posts:
Button28384738 · 18/09/2024 11:56

Sofita90 · 18/09/2024 11:44

I did a bit of research and I found another mumsnet chat and the mother was coming from Greece and was advised that Ari instead of Aris will be fine. Do you agree? If yes the 'S' is dropped some times on the speech in our language so Ari would work as well.

Yes Ari works better than Aris in UK, but still prefer Elias

Button28384738 · 18/09/2024 11:55

I like Elias out of the 3 , you couldn't go far wrong with pronunciation or spelling

Barleysugar86 · 18/09/2024 11:51

Zachariah I love but my first thought seeing it without the h is that it was a typo. It looks a little feminine to be ending in a, I might think this was a female version of it like robert and roberta.

Elias is lovely.

Aris I wasn't sure how to pronounce- is it like Ares?

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 18/09/2024 11:50

Yes, Ari is nice. But you might get fed up of saying "No, not Harry".

Bbq1 · 18/09/2024 11:50

sel2223 · 18/09/2024 11:22

I'm a northerner so can't even get glass to rhyme with arse but it looks like OP will be around the London area so very relevant to her

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Me too and not the point of the thread but wondering how gkass rhymes with arse. Glars?

sel2223 · 18/09/2024 11:49

Ari is lovely

MagicianMoth · 18/09/2024 11:47

I think Ari would be fine. I do like Elias as well though!

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