Spelling Conundrum

[LaDuchesse]

Hello. Please can you help? My DH and I have chosen a very grown up name for our little girl but have agreed that until she makes it to the House of Commons/ Supreme Court/ Forbes list, she might need a shorter, simpler nickname to bide the time. Lily has come up as a possibility but we are a bilingual household and I find it sounds just a little too frilly in French.

Therefore, I am putting in a motion for Lila but pronounced à la française: Lee-lah. (as in Lilac in French)

Now... How would one spell that to avoid confusing it with Leila (Lay-Lah) or Lila (Lie-Lah)

Thank you!

I would always say Lila as Lee-lah.

Go on, what's the name?

I would also say lee-lah. I know an English one and this is how it is pronounced. A lovely name.

Oh I'd pronounce Lila as Ly-lah!

I do like "Leela" though, maybe if you establish the pronunciation before writing her name then "Lila" will automatically be seen as "Leela".

I think I've only written my DD's name a handful of times and she's 8 months!

Is it Lilian? Beautiful name if so.

I would pronounce "Lila" as "Lie La", for "Lee Lah" I would spell it "Leela".

I don' t get this thing of predetermining nick names. Surely they evolve with the person?

True Bike. Ds2's usual name for the past 12 years is what he called himself at 18 months when he couldn't pronounce his 'real' name!

IMO most kids end up getting called Sausage or Ducky most of the time anyway!

I am pleasantly surprised that Lila can be read as [Leelah] for some of you. My husband doesn't agree one bit but I hope to persuade him by show of votes.

I'm afraid I have been sworn to secrecy and since DH is half reading over my shoulder I'm sorry to say that I can't reveal the full name. [angellic smiley]

If we're hoping to come up with a nickname now, it's only because we're not huge fans of the 'normal' nickname that goes with the name. So we're basically going completely off track. Who knows whether it will stick or not.

I know quite a few people whose nicknames are totally unrelated to their christian names. (Bean, Lallie, Pie). Provided that is how they are introduced it works out just fine, people tend not to make up their own. Schools tend to use the full name which is normal and my mother will doubtless go the whole hog too.

I have the therapist on speed dial in case of identity crisis.

I like Lila (pronounced Lee-lah). Would have used it for DD2 but DH didn't agree for some reason.

I'm asuming it's Elizabeth.

I have heard the 'lee-la' pronunciation for 'Lila'.

*assuming

I have also never heard Lila pronounced as Lee-la. I know a couple and they are Lie-las, I would bet that 90% of the population would also assume that its pronunciation is Lie-la.

P.S you may want to pass that therapist's number on to those poor unfortunates you know called Bean and Pie.

Hahah, duly noted! :)

I'd say it Lie-la

And use the spelling Leela to get the pronunciation you want.

< looks at dc who were not actually registered as Luna or Mouse, but that is how they are know, which surprised ds a bit when he started Reception last month>

Yes, I know several Mice (Mouses, I guess) as well, both male and female.

Lila is Lie-la to me (like the Oasis song, although that's Lyla).

I think that's a better choice though, Lila/Lyla is an established name Lee-lah sounds like a Teletubby. It's too cutsey to last until Parliament imo.

Just tell people it's the French pronunciation. People are adaptable.

I'd say leelah for Lila. I don't think it matters so much with nicknames anyway as the first time most people come across it they will be hearing it rather than seeing it written down.

I would assume Lila is pronounced LEE-la.

If you want to make sure the pronunciation is unambiguous then you could spell it Leela, although as it is a nickname you could decide which spelling works better later on.

In German or French I'd say Leela if I read Lila.

However, in English I'd say Lie-la, sorry.

And Lila is Lee-la over here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lila_(Hinduism)

Not a native speaker, but the spelling Lilla springs to mind, how about that?

Lilla would be short, like Lily but -uh instead of -ee ending.

Lila is l-eye-lah to me and far more elegant than Leela.

isn't Leela the Cyclops one in Futurama?

Yes, she is. We're big fans of Futurama here.

You know what? I think that's the trick, right there! Brilliant, thank you so much! Now... To get DH onboard....

Oh, clearly I am not well versed in posting on this forum. My reply was for LillyNotOfTheValley, who is a genius. But I think you're all very clever and kind. Even though those who know about cyclopses worry me a little... Xxx