Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Aria or Ella

26 replies

HelgatheHairy · 08/07/2013 20:43

After a "long list" of about 20 girls names (most of them ending in a) we seem to have a short list of the above two.

Worrying though that Aria is too "Game of Thrones" (although she is one of my favourite characters!) and I know Ella was popular a few years ago so wondering if it is too popular.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
jemstipp · 08/07/2013 20:45

So what if Aria is Game of Thrones, if you like it you like it! There's a girl here called Arwen, from you've guessed it, Lord of the Rings, nice name it is too!!

Zynnia · 08/07/2013 21:17

Aria sounds dreadful in an English accent (imo) ahhhhhhria. It's Italian isn't it?

I would choose Ella. It's prettier. and the pronunciation is less problematic. It is popular though. But like you say, I think its popularity has waned. I think I would associate it with girls about 8-13

Arwen is nice! so is Olwen. Olwen isn't from GOT but it's just very pretty and has a similar sound to Arwen.

AndWhenYouGetThere · 08/07/2013 21:18

Aria is beautiful - and there are enough other Arias, so it's not too Game of Thrones. Definitely my favourite.

Ella is very popular and less interesting/striking to me, but still pretty.

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 08/07/2013 21:30

zynnia it would be pronounced in an Irish accent if it makes a difference!

We do prefer Aria but actually Ella works better with our surname. Think we might just wait till we meet her now.

OP posts:
Zynnia · 08/07/2013 22:25

That makes it much better! because Irish people pronounce this particular name closer to the Italian way. So I change my mind totally.

Different names work in different accents. Fwiw, I like Lottie in an English accent because of the crisp precise way the English say their Ts but they way Irish say their Ts, it's too soft and 'long'. Hope that makes sense!

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 08/07/2013 22:36

zynnia it does make sense actually (although DH now thinks I like the name lottie as I'm saying it out loud!)

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 08/07/2013 23:24

Aria is the nicer of the two.

It's Arya in Game of Thrones.

Wbdn28 · 09/07/2013 10:02

Aria

Choccyhobnob · 09/07/2013 10:15

You have similar taste to me! Love both of them but had exactly same doubts about Ella being too popular.

On my list for future dd:

Arya/Aria
Ella
Lara
Ayla
Elsa
Luna (current fave and dh loves it esp as our surname is Spanish)

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 09/07/2013 10:50

choccy what is it about short names ending in a?? The longest name on our list was 5 letters (Kayla). Most of the names on your list were also on ours. Luna is really pretty especially as your surname is Spanish. We have a very English surname, so wouldn't work for us.

Are Aria and Arya pronounced the same? When I was reading GOT I always pronounced her name as "are-ya" in my head. I haven't watched it on telly to see how they're pronouncing it.

OP posts:
tableandsofa · 09/07/2013 13:17

Aria is lovely, Ella is a bit boring.

Choccyhobnob · 09/07/2013 13:17

I've never seen the programme either but I always read it in my head as the same as Aria. She is one of my favourite characters!

MrsBungle · 09/07/2013 13:18

Aria is lovely. Ella is plain.

bugsybill · 09/07/2013 13:36

Ella

Dreya · 09/07/2013 20:39

Both are lovely. Slightly prefer Aria but only because it's less common.
How about Ariella? Perfect, no? Smile

Alisvolatpropiis · 09/07/2013 22:46

*op
Mostly in the tv show it's Are-ya rather than Ar-ee-ah.

So two rather than three syllables.

I know a little Arya Smile

mumbaisapphire · 10/07/2013 00:59

I was going to suggest Ariella too. A pretty combo of them both.

atrcts · 10/07/2013 01:08

I like Ella Smile

WafflyVersatile · 10/07/2013 01:19

Ariella was my first thought too.

Arya makes me think of Aryan.

I think Ella is lovely, simple but never plain.

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 10/07/2013 10:49

I'd never even thought of Ariella!!! It's beautiful! I love it! And it fits with my minor dilemma that Ella sounds better with out surname.

Ladies I think you may have just named our baby! Just need to run it by DH.

OP posts:
Choccyhobnob · 10/07/2013 10:54

Or to add to that, a girl in my class at school was called Arielle (emphasis on the elle so that it doesn't sound like Ariel)

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 10/07/2013 16:12

Ran Ariella by DH when I met him at lunch and he really likes it. He said he actually slightly preferred Ella to Aria but he thought I deserved the deciding vote as I was the one carrying her. So Ariella is the best of both worlds.

Thanks for naming my baby!

Now I just have to worry about how my elderly Irish parents/Aunt are going to deal with pronouncing it. And deal with the fact we are not naming the baby after my Aunt who died last year.

OP posts:
WafflyVersatile · 10/07/2013 20:57

Yay for name-choosing!

Middle name?

kerala · 10/07/2013 21:00

Ella is very over used. It's this generations Sarah wouldn't go near it personally but fine if that doesn't bother you. Isn't aria a type of opera song? Wasn't aware it was a name

Original poster
HelgatheHairy · 10/07/2013 21:55

waffly we're not doing middle names. It's a "tradition" in DHs family.

OP posts: