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Baby names

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

Original poster

Everyone is getting my baby's name wrong

433 replies

Laura3091 · 08/07/2025 11:19

So my baby girls name is Emila - It is pronounced as Em-ee-la.

Everyone keeps calling her Amelia and can’t get their head around Emila. Don’t think it’s that hard to grasp tbh but I know she is going to have trouble as she grows up with people mispronouncing her name.

Do we just shorten it to Mila? (Mee-La) to make it easier for everyone?

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StrawberryCranberry · 08/07/2025 11:51

This is an uncommon name that's very similar to a common name, it's not really surprising that people get it wrong! I think Mila would be a good solution.

Stichintime · 08/07/2025 11:48

I would change her name altogether.

Figgygal · 08/07/2025 11:45

Not sure what you were expecting op
Poor kid going to have a lifetime of it

Talipesmum · 08/07/2025 11:44

I’ve never seen the name Emila before - only Emilia (or Amelia, but that’s more different). I’m familiar with Mila though. I think most people will just misread it as Emilia - the extra “i” is small and easy to miss it isn’t there. Typing on here, Emila gets spell corrected to Emilia too.

Shortening it to Mila would likely help people get it - it’s a nice shortening and I’d always thought that Mila was a name in its own right. People likely know the names Mila Kunis, and Mila Jovovich.

Of course it’s fine to keep correcting people, but it’s def going to be an uphill battle in the uk I reckon.

happithipoy · 08/07/2025 11:43

would adding an acute accent help on the I and even the a? I couldn’t tell you which as English is not my first language

Snorlaxo · 08/07/2025 11:37

I think that it’s understandable in the Uk that Emila would be mistaken for Emilia.
I think more people know Mila (as in Kunis) or you could go for Mimi while she’s very young.

Mandarinaduck · 08/07/2025 11:25

Sorry but that is very unusual and very close to Emilia so I am not suprised that many are making the mistake. Mila would be easier.

DappledThings · 08/07/2025 11:22

Not sure that would help. People won't know if it's pronounced like mee-la or miller

I've never seen Emila as a name before and I suspect people are so used to Emilia or Amelia they are skim reading and adding in the i between the l and a to change the pronunciation. It won't always happen, you just need to politely correct people.