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Baby names

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Original poster

Baby name Amala?

58 replies

julyyrain · 19/07/2025 11:08

What are your impressions of the name Amala and how would you assume it was pronounced?

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NewbieYou · 22/07/2025 05:12

@Hollyhobbiive also just checked and my standard southern accented husband also says America with uh sounds. You don’t have to overpronounce it but if you say the word you’ll note it sounds like a light ‘uh’ rather than the A of Arithmetic in the majority of British accents.

NewbieYou · 22/07/2025 05:10

Hollyhobbi · 22/07/2025 01:31

I've never heard America said the way you're saying it's pronounced. It's an ah sound.

Show quote history

Clearly you have a different accent then because America has uh sounds in many regional accents. Just because you don’t have one doesn’t mean it’s a lie!

Hollyhobbi · 22/07/2025 01:31

PanderBare · 19/07/2025 13:30

Because the A- and -a are unstressed they each become a schwa sound.
Schwa | Definition, Examples, Sound, & Symbol | Britannica

America is said as Uh-MERR-ick-uh.
Anna - ANN-uh etc

I've never heard America said the way you're saying it's pronounced. It's an ah sound.

timetogetuppeople · 21/07/2025 07:43

What is the pronunciation? As PP has suggested or more like Am-ah-la like Pamela?

user1492757084 · 21/07/2025 06:54

I prefer Amal.
Use Amal as it is well known via the strong and successful woman - Amal Clooney.

Gloschick · 20/07/2025 19:58

I would pronounce it a mah la.
I prefer Amara.

Latenightreader · 20/07/2025 19:45

I would have guessed west African origins but that is based on a former colleague from Ghana with a very similar name. No idea of the roots of her name though!

legoplaybook · 20/07/2025 19:40

I'd automatically say Ah-mar-lah but could be corrected to Ah-mah-lah.

It's nice enough but I prefer Amalia (Ah-mar-lee-ah)

TakeMe2Insanity · 20/07/2025 19:38

If you are asian origin you’ll know of
Amla hair oil
Ambala sweets

whatcanthematterbe81 · 20/07/2025 19:36

LucasBuck · 20/07/2025 00:06

I’d guess “Ah-mar-lah ”. Because Amala looks so similar to Amara and Alana and those sounds are how they are usually pronounced (at least where I live). Pretty names though.

This is how you say it. I know a few. Didn’t realise it was that tricky to understand tbh

TheeNotoriousPIG · 20/07/2025 16:35

Initially, I would have guessed "Ah-mah-la", and possibly of Pakistani heritage. I used to teach in a class with several Pakistani heritage girls with names like Amara, Anaya, Amina, etc. so Amala wouldn't have been a stretch!

I like it.

ncduetooutingsituation · 20/07/2025 00:59

Like Amala Ekpunobi?
She pronounces it Ammala.
i like it.

OSTMusTisNT · 20/07/2025 00:17

I would say A mal ah. I would guess Indian heritage?

LucasBuck · 20/07/2025 00:06

I’d guess “Ah-mar-lah ”. Because Amala looks so similar to Amara and Alana and those sounds are how they are usually pronounced (at least where I live). Pretty names though.

Clocloxx · 19/07/2025 15:24

I read it as al - ma
I think it's very pretty name I like it

NotrialNodeal · 19/07/2025 15:22

Feels like an Arabic version of amelia

castleclass · 19/07/2025 15:21

PanderBare · 19/07/2025 15:19

@castleclass , I did. It's because it's an unstressed vowel. In Anna or Adam, the first A is stressed but the second one isn't.

Thank you I actually missed that post completely Blush

PanderBare · 19/07/2025 15:19

@castleclass , I did. It's because it's an unstressed vowel. In Anna or Adam, the first A is stressed but the second one isn't.

castleclass · 19/07/2025 14:59

NuffSaidSam · 19/07/2025 13:32

It's an accent thing.

Like how some people see bath and say 'bar-th' and others say 'ba-th'.

You must surely be aware that people have different accents?!

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Of course I know people have different accents. I guess I was looking for someone to be able to offer something deeper.

NuffSaidSam · 19/07/2025 13:34

I would say ah-ma-la which in my accent is barely distinguishable from uh-ma-la.

I don't particularly like it, but nor is it offensive, it's just meh.

NuffSaidSam · 19/07/2025 13:32

castleclass · 19/07/2025 13:19

But why was the question? Why do you read Ah and say Uh? It’s not a criticism, I’m curious is all

Show quote history

It's an accent thing.

Like how some people see bath and say 'bar-th' and others say 'ba-th'.

You must surely be aware that people have different accents?!

PanderBare · 19/07/2025 13:30

Because the A- and -a are unstressed they each become a schwa sound.
Schwa | Definition, Examples, Sound, & Symbol | Britannica

America is said as Uh-MERR-ick-uh.
Anna - ANN-uh etc

castleclass · 19/07/2025 13:19

PanderBare · 19/07/2025 12:58

@castleclass ,because that's how we'd say it.

But why was the question? Why do you read Ah and say Uh? It’s not a criticism, I’m curious is all

aintnospringchicken · 19/07/2025 12:58

I would pronounce it Ah -mah-lah
I agree with previous poster that I can’t see where Uh comes into it.
Maybe pronunciation depends on where in the UK you are.

PanderBare · 19/07/2025 12:58

@castleclass ,because that's how we'd say it.

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