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Baby names

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

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Original poster

If you're not Scottish, what do you think of...

87 replies

soundsystem · 21/10/2014 10:30

Eilidh?

We're in London and trying to gauge how easy (or not!) this will be for people to pronounce/spell.

Double-barrelled surname which needs spelling out so torn between choosing a really easy first name, or thinking actually if she already has to spell out two names spelling out another name isn't that big a deal!

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TinyTear · 21/10/2014 10:33

Sorry, wouldn't know how to say it and I have a Scottish husband... But I an foreigner though...

FelixFelix · 21/10/2014 10:33

I have no idea how you'd pronounce that without googling!

HaveYouHeardOfGoogle · 21/10/2014 10:34

No idea how to start pronouncing that.

Chrysanthemum5 · 21/10/2014 10:35

My DD is called that, and we live in Scotland - so most people here manage fine. It does cause a lot of confusion amongst non-Scottish people though. And you will have to get used to hearing it pronounced in lots of very odd ways - I don't mind, but it may bother you.

DiaDuit · 21/10/2014 10:36

I it ay-lee? Or eye-lee? I think it looks lovely and would only need to hear it once to be able to pronounce it properly. If you like it- go for it.

BananaToast · 21/10/2014 10:38

I'm in London and would say Ay-lee. A name I've come across before but not in person; I imagine many would get it wrong (possibly including me!).

BananaToast · 21/10/2014 10:38

You might also get eye-lid...

squoosh · 21/10/2014 10:43

It's a pretty name and if your surname was a common one I'd say go for it. But combined with an unusual double barrelled name that will need to be spelt out? I wouldn't.

I have a tricky to spell surname which I'm fine with but a tricky to spell first name on top of that would be a bit of a bore.

UpduffedBatty · 21/10/2014 10:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Chrysanthemum5 · 21/10/2014 10:48

It's like Ceilidh but without the 'C' - although that may not be much help.

Most people settle for 'Ay-lee' which is fine

DiaDuit · 21/10/2014 10:50

Thanks chrys

FatAmy · 21/10/2014 10:53

I think it sounds lovely but I'd struggle to spell it and I think a lot of people would have no idea how to pronounce it.

crazykat · 21/10/2014 10:53

I wouldn't if you've got a difficult to spell surname.

I have a common name that has many common spellings and it drives me nuts always having to spell my first name, not to mention some teachers saying it wrong even though my name is said how it looks, I just have a less common spelling.

Luckily my last name is easy to spell so its not so bad. If I had to spell my first name and a double barrelled surname I'd hate it and would have probably changed my name.

I really wanted an Irish name for my dd but as we live in England I didn't use it as I knew it would be a pita having to constantly spell it and tell everyone how its pronounced.

AppleSnapple · 21/10/2014 10:56

I like it, I think it's pretty when you look at it written down (I used to know an eilidh in Dublin!) BUT... i would be concerned people would think it was Hayley (and Londoners tend to drop their H's, don't they?!)

StrawberryCheese · 21/10/2014 10:57

I only know how to pronounce it because I live in Scotland as I had never come across it until then. It's a lovely name.

I think people would get used to it but there is always the odd person who looks at a name written down and pronounces it in the most illogical way that you never thought possible! I have a Welsh name and I have had some corkers

moxon · 21/10/2014 12:34

I'd only know how to pronounce it because of knowing the word ceilidh, and only then presuming I deduced rightly. But it is quite lovely. Planning to move to Scotland in the future maybe?

ShadowKat · 21/10/2014 12:38

I would have no idea how to pronounce that (my first thoughts were along the eyelid line). Or how to spell it, if I'd only heard it and not seen it written down.

NotMrsTumble · 21/10/2014 12:45

I have an Eilidh but live in Scotland. It took my English rellies some time to get right my poor gm never did work out how to spell it. I resorted to telling them to say "Hayley" without the "h". Even here we get some very odd spellings, usually involving a "g". DD doesn't seem to mind though, and she's the only one in her year with the name (despite there being duplicates of what would be considered more "individual" names ) Our surname has multiple spellings too, but it's never been an issue. The one thing I did make sure of was that she had a more universally known middle name, which she could use if she preferred. If you like the name, then go for it. just don't expect to be able to buy any personalised tat from gift shops

cherrybombxo · 21/10/2014 12:48

I love the name Eilidh (I'm Scottish, so not your target audience!) but there seems to be loads now so I went off it a little. It's very pretty, it would cause some spelling confusion when it came to Christmas card time but it's easy to pronounce after being told once or twice.

unlucky83 · 21/10/2014 12:48

English living in Scotland - know a DC /friend of DD with that name ...wouldn't have know how to pronounce it if I'd seen it written down, struggled (and still do) with spelling it ...
Same roots as Ceilidh (Event with Scottish dancing) - when people at work were talking about whether I was going to the kayli said I hadn't heard about it - told there were posters up everywhere and then I realised that's how you said it/that's what it was advertising...
And also I know someone - a teacher, Scottish born and bred, with Scottish parents - who struggles spelling Ceilidh...
Hard for a DC to learn how to spell it and learn phonics ...
I wouldn't do it!

weebarra · 21/10/2014 12:50

I'm Scottish, so fine with it. I do have a friend with a DD called Ailie, that might work?

cherrybombxo · 21/10/2014 12:53

Hard for a DC to learn how to spell it and learn phonics ...
I wouldn't do it!

But if it's someone's name then you just learn to spell it, simple as that. Maybe it's different being Scottish but I know a Niamh, a Mhairi ("Varry"), a Rhuaridh... you just learn to spell it as well as pronounce it. I knew someone called Rhuri and it just looked like he couldn't spell his name.

blibblibs · 21/10/2014 12:54

Scottish, living in England with a DD called Eilidh, she was born in Scotland and for the first 18months there was no problem. Now, we do get a few folk who are still unable to spell it but most people can now say her name. I do make a point of using her name often when we first meet people.

The best bit is when the library do an automated call - its always eyelid

DD seems to like her name as she thinks its special although she did go through a stage of wanting to be called Mia like all her friends

o0 · 21/10/2014 12:55

If I ever have a girl she's going to be Eilidh. But I'm Scottish so not who you're asking for on this thread.

Groovee · 21/10/2014 12:55

My dd is Eilidh. She told a beefeater at London Tower at the weekend and he started shouting "She's Scottish!"

Someone on ds's birth club who was English used this name as she loved it and knew how annoyed her MIL would be with the spelling and pronounciation. I find England really struggle with her name until she says Hayley without the H.

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