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Original poster

How would you pronounce Alaïa??

58 replies

Shanonymous23 · 24/09/2025 14:15

I love the name Alaïa which I would pronounce as (A-lay-ah) but was just wondering how other people would pronounce it or whether it would be best to spell it Alaia without the double dot above the i.

I personally prefer the way it looks with an i/ï than spelt with a y (Alaya)

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3pears · 27/09/2025 18:59

With the 2 dots - a- lay- ee-ah

without- a- lay- ah

pinkfluffybirds · 27/09/2025 18:57

I like the name, but I don’t like your spelling. I can imagine in school if she’s ever caught up in a lie they will say she’s literally called A Lier!

cygnusgenie · 27/09/2025 15:06

I wouldn't have any idea how to pronounce it. But I'd probably just ask, there's loads of names I don't know how to pronounce, it's not the end of the world.

DuchessOfNarcissex · 27/09/2025 14:57

@ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews , It's not. It's a French spelling of an Arabic name.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 27/09/2025 14:55

Yeah, it’s definitely both, and I said it because I meant it.

DuchessOfNarcissex · 27/09/2025 14:54

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 27/09/2025 14:18

Don’t bother with the umlaut. It’s pointless, and a bit pretentious, if I’m being honest. It’s

It's neither pointless nor pretentious. Not sure why you felt you needed to be honest. It's ... ?

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 27/09/2025 14:18

Don’t bother with the umlaut. It’s pointless, and a bit pretentious, if I’m being honest. It’s

user1492757084 · 27/09/2025 14:14

A liar.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 25/09/2025 22:08

None of the ways you suggest. It's Al-a-ee-a

Bernardo1 · 25/09/2025 22:03

I wouldn't. .

DuchessOfNarcissex · 25/09/2025 10:45

The vowelly names are very popular where I live. Lots of Inanya, Amaya type names and they sound so similar.

Zodiacrobat · 25/09/2025 10:32

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 24/09/2025 14:53

Instinctively I'd go with Ah-lie-ya then I'd see the diaresis and try for Ah-la-ee-ah but the way names are going these days I'd be prepared to be told that it's pronounced 'Sharon'.

Or “vowel” Grin

DuchessOfNarcissex · 25/09/2025 10:17

I don't know if the info is correct but: Alaia (variant of Alaya) - Unisex Names from Quranic Roots

Calliopespa · 25/09/2025 10:02

VikaOlson · 24/09/2025 14:24

I'd assume the dots separate the sounds out like Anaïs or naïve so the two vowels are said separately - Al-a-i-a rather than together Al-ai-a

That's how I'd have approached it.

Jamesblonde2 · 24/09/2025 22:45

Alay

34ransum · 24/09/2025 22:31

A-Lie-Ee-Ah

BarbaraVineFan · 24/09/2025 22:29

I actually think Aleia looks quite nice, and lots of people will understand how to pronounce it because of Princess Leia.

BarbaraVineFan · 24/09/2025 22:28

I know an Alaya, spelt like that and pronounced A -lay-ah. You could spell it like this, or like Aleia to get the pronunciation you want. Alaia will be given a ‘lie’ sound in the middle.

Alexandrine · 24/09/2025 22:23

Ah - lie -ah. It’s a fairly famous designer brand. If you wanted “Ah-lay-ah” then I really would spell it Alaya - might not look quite as pretty but at least it wouldn’t get regularly mispronounced or misspelt, which will be more of a pain imo. I suppose you might also get away with Aleia if that looks any better to you? Leia is a well known name so there shouldn’t be any issues with sticking an A on the front.

AgnesMcDoo · 24/09/2025 21:35

Your child will have to spend their whole life explaining spelling and pronunciation.

don’t saddle them with that name

ResusciAnnie · 24/09/2025 21:33

VikaOlson · 24/09/2025 14:24

I'd assume the dots separate the sounds out like Anaïs or naïve so the two vowels are said separately - Al-a-i-a rather than together Al-ai-a

This.

Anaïs
Naïve
Zoë

The dots mean 2 saparate vowels. Otherwise it would be Anays, Nayve, Zoe as in Joe.

But I always assume Rochelle Humes’s kid and the brand are Al-eye-a, rather than Alaya.

People will pronounce it however you/the kid does though. No biggie.

roshi42 · 24/09/2025 21:29

I also couldn’t pronounce it as anything other than Ah-lie-ah because of Clueless.

”But this is an Alaia!”

goldenlabby · 24/09/2025 20:56

The designer is spelled Alaïa and is pronounced A-lie-uh. I would always assume that is the correct pronunciation.

Neighbours87 · 24/09/2025 16:11

Ah lie ah like the totally important designer

DuchessOfNarcissex · 24/09/2025 16:10

@StewkeyBlue , It's an Arabic name transcribed into French.

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