Aliyaan

[Elsa333]

DH and I are struggling to agree on a name we both like for our baby due soon (DH is looking for something unique, but I prefer shorter, simpler names). A friend suggested the name Aliyaan, which we both like the sound of, but I wanted to get some honest opinions on the following two questions:

1. How would you pronounce this name?
   
2. Is it obvious to you whether this is a boy's or girl's name? I deliberately haven't mentioned whether we are expecting a boy or girl so as not to bias people's thinking one way or the other :-)
   

Appreciate your feedback.

[MrsBungle]

Ali -an. I'm not sure whether boy or girl. I think it sounds made up.

[Hulababy]

The child with vv similar name I mentions - said Al-i-an - was in South Yorks, though family are Pakistani. Sounded nothing like alien here.

[SirChenjin]

Ali-yann - my Scottish accent would shorten the a

Girl

I've not seen it before, which country is it from?

[nooka]

I would assume that a child called Aliyaan was Arabic or Muslim (because of both 'Ali' and the double a which suggests to me an origin in a different script), and would be unsure about both pronunciation and gender.

If you Google images for Aliyaan you get a mix of male and female faces, but more men than women.

[raisah]

Is it a variation of the persian boys name Ilan? It also sounds like a combination of the Arabic boys names, Ali & Arian. It is nice though.

[lovemybabyboy]

Ally- aaarn
Girl

[DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper]

I would pronounce it Ali-yarn. It looks like a girl's name to me, but I'm guessing it's a boys?

It also looks like a non-Anglo name, so I have no preconceived ideas about it at all. It just looks unfamiliar, which is fine if it's a recognised name from another culture. Not so fine if it's a cobbled-together, made-up jobbie for the sake of unique-ness.

[Tortoiseonthehalfshell]

Ali-yarn, and boy. It looks Arabic, or Hebrew? If you're a white Anglo couple I'd stay away.

[scottishmummy]

the words unique Re baby name usually=trying too hard,media/creative types
aliyaan.hows it sit with your surname?haveyou made this up to. be unique
it sound like alien in a pronounced Meeja accent,and I guess you think it girl name

[Elsa333]

It's an Arabic/Persian name for a baby boy of Pakistani heritage.

Our intended pronunciation is "ali-yarn" but my main concern is that it will be pronounced "alien" so it's useful to have a sounding board here about this to find out plenty of views.