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Baby names

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

Original poster

Thoughts on Alia?

37 replies

Twentytwotwelve · 06/08/2025 21:37

Also, is Alia your preferred spelling, or another variant, such as Aliya, Aaliyah, and so on?

Last name begins with a Y.

We are contemplating Molly as a middle name as that is my mother’s name. However, that is not set in stone, and depends on flow and overall ‘vibe’.

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Moreteaandchocolate · 06/08/2025 22:37

I read Alia to rhyme with Aria “AH-lee-a” (stress on the first syllable). But then I also thought Aaliyah / Aliyah were pronounced “Ah- LIE- ah, (not Ah- LEE-ah) so maybe that’s just me!

Alia is pretty and people would only need to be told once how to pronounce it if they made the same mistake as me!

Alexandrine · 06/08/2025 22:28

Very pretty. And I personally prefer this sleeker spelling. But you would have to accept she might get a bit lost in a sea of Ayla, Ada, Ava, Aria- these vowel heavy type of names seem very popular at the moment!

TheeNotoriousPIG · 06/08/2025 22:25

I like it, and I have only met one spelt as 'Alia'. The others have been spelt as Aaliyah, but I have no strong feelings either way when it comes to spelling.

VeryQuaintIrene · 06/08/2025 22:01

For anyone who knows Latin, it means "other things" (as it "et al.") This may or may not be a concern to you and tbf, you'd be pronouncing it differently.

SchnizelVonKrumm · 06/08/2025 21:57

I think Alia is a good spelling if it's pronounced Al-EE-a.

For that pronunciation the Aaliyah spelling makes no sense - to my mind the double "a" at the start suggests it would be AH-lya (like the character in Corrie).

ScupperedbytheSea · 06/08/2025 21:57

I would say Alia like AL-ee-uh.

I think you need a double aa to sound like the singer R-lee-uh.

The second one, Aaliyah, sounds nicer imo.

BoleynMemories13 · 06/08/2025 21:55

Do you have Arabic roots? If so it's a pretty name. I've seen so many different spellings (Aaliyah, Aliyah, Aliyah, Alia, Aleeha etc), but I think my favourite is Aliyah. It feels more feminine and probably less likely to encounter pronunciation issues that Alia, which feels a bit unfinished to me.

If you don't have Arabic roots, I find it a bit try hard.

User415373 · 06/08/2025 21:52

It's ok but so many girls names start and end a vowel now they are all sounding the same!
I know one spelled Ailiah, one Ayla, one Aiyla. Sound like Isla, Orla, Ayla, Ayla etc!

Hiptothisjive · 06/08/2025 21:47

Sorry OP - it’s a try hard ‘unique’ name for the sake of it.

Original poster
Twentytwotwelve · 06/08/2025 21:47

Keroppi · 06/08/2025 21:45

How is it said? Like the singer Aaliyah or Al-e-a?

It is most commonly pronounced the same as Aaliyah: ah-LEE-ah

OP posts:
Keroppi · 06/08/2025 21:45

How is it said? Like the singer Aaliyah or Al-e-a?

Rosybud88 · 06/08/2025 21:43

I haven’t seen Alia spelt like this before - I love it. It’s really pretty and I would use this spelling.