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Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby girl name Rea?

56 replies

HappyGoldEagle · 23/04/2026 11:37

Both me and my husband are set on Rea we both love Ria as another spelling. We need your opinions please any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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DoAWheelie · 24/04/2026 19:35

I'd go with Rhiannon and shorten it to Rhia as a nickname -it gives more options later in life.

SliceofTosst · 24/04/2026 19:34

StationJack · 23/04/2026 12:36

Diarrhoea

The Rea is our code name for this 😂

mamaduckbone · 24/04/2026 19:31

I’d spell it Rhea. Lovely name

DefiantRabbit9 · 24/04/2026 19:29

It's a gorgeous name. Personally I'd spell it Rhea but I'm a major ASOIAF nerd.

CeciliaMars · 24/04/2026 14:20

Rae would be Ray to me, Ria makes me think
of Rear

user2848502016 · 24/04/2026 13:11

I wouldn’t know if it was “Ray”, “Raya” or “Ria”
So Ria is a better spelling if that’s how you want people to say it

constantnc · 24/04/2026 12:37

I know an adult Ria. Its lovely.

Cocktailsandcheese · 24/04/2026 12:34

I would assume Rea was pronounced Ree, in the same was that Bea is pronounced Bee.

If you're after the sound Ria I would spell it like that.

Aside from the spelling, it's a nice name.

StationJack · 24/04/2026 10:38

wiwaprwfimh70 · 24/04/2026 05:55

The girls name Rae is pronounced Ray (or at least the 6 I've come across are)
Ria reminds me of diarrhoea

OP is asking about Rea not Rae.

wiwaprwfimh70 · 24/04/2026 05:55

The girls name Rae is pronounced Ray (or at least the 6 I've come across are)
Ria reminds me of diarrhoea

Amiacoolorwarmcolour · 24/04/2026 05:38

I would choose Rhea.

justaddittothelist · 24/04/2026 05:36

I would probably spell is Rhia or Ria. I liked it, there was a Ria at school with me, shortened from Victoria

wandawaves · 24/04/2026 05:24

I know a couple of Ria's. I've never made the 'diarrhoea' connection.

Rea I would pronounce as Ree.

MarchionessVonSausage · 24/04/2026 03:01

I wouldn't immediately know how to pronounce Rea- I'd guess it as Ree rhymes with Sea from the spelling

I'd go with Ria. That matches your chosen pronunciation and is quite pretty.

user1492757084 · 24/04/2026 02:45

I don't like the rear end associaitons.
I thought Rea was pronounced as REAR like Leah, Tia, Kia, Pia and Mia. I would spell it Ria.
Surnames spelt like Rea are said differently.

I prefer Leah, Mia and Tia.

StationJack · 23/04/2026 13:06

TheyGrewUp · 23/04/2026 12:39

I knew someone called Rea (surname) many years ago. It's pronounced Ray.

Rianna?

The singer is Rihanna.

reabies · 23/04/2026 13:00

My surname is Rea, it is supposed to be pronounced Ray, but is unanimously pronounced Ree-ah (like Chris Rea, driving home for christmas) by everyone who does not know me. I'm not sure anyone has got it right on the first try.

Rae is a popular girls name/middle name now, so you might get people who are used to that going with the Ray pronunciation over the Ree-ah pronunciation, but in my experience people read Rea as Ree-ah.

Berlinlover · 23/04/2026 12:49

I immediately think of diarrhoea.

LuckyNumberFive · 23/04/2026 12:47

I had a friend at high school called Rhea. I LOVED her name but she definitely got diarrhoea jokes unfortunately.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 23/04/2026 12:46

I would say pronounce it as Rea as Re-uh to rhyme with Leah. Definitely wouldn’t think Ray or Raya, the e and a are the wrong way round for that.

i like the name but prefer Leah.

I don’t have much preference between the Rea and Ria spelling, and I didn’t think about diarreah.

TheyGrewUp · 23/04/2026 12:39

I knew someone called Rea (surname) many years ago. It's pronounced Ray.

Rianna?

StationJack · 23/04/2026 12:36

Diarrhoea

Corvidsarethebest · 23/04/2026 12:36

Raya is another alternative and how I think Rea is probably said (in my head!)

pbdr · 23/04/2026 12:34

I think it’s probably as uncommon as it is due to being (by sound, albeit not spelling) the suffix of diarrhoea.

BigBrownBoogyingBear · 23/04/2026 12:32

I'd pronounce those names differently

Rea = Ree (like beach, reach)
Ria = Ree-a (rhymes with Pier)

Rae would be Ray.

I'd use the spelling which best reflects the pronunciation you want!

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