Malia? Pls suggest.

[Zahrah5]

Really love the name Malia.

I think we are more or less set on it. Women in my family for generations carried name Maria and Malia is just a little twist on that just as our daughter will be- mixture of cultures.

What would be the nicknames for Malia? Can we call her Maya or Lia?

Would like suggestions for middle name. Looking for something more international as none of our families are english speakers. Our last name is ending with a.

So far we love Malia Eva, pronounced ava

Again this is fitting as my husband closest sister is Awa, so same name with little twist.

I love flower and nature names but my husband has old fashioned belief on naming after other people in the family.

Other combos I am thinking of

Malia Lily- might be mouthfull
Malia Iris

I thought immediately of Malia Obama. Never heard of the resort.

My first thought was Malia Obama too. Not a bad thing, nice name.

Pity about the resort because it's such a pretty name.

What about Mahalia, like Mahalia Jackson?

Lovely name

Never heard of this resort everyone's mentioning - sounds like fun though

I like it. Not heard of the Greek resort either. Malia Obama was my first thought too.

gosh I just thought Obama - I've never heard of this Greek resort, but then resorts of any sort aren't exactly my cup of tea!

I too thought 'ooh, ah, malia' stag party
You wouldn't need to worry about it with the Maliah spelling. Malia I would pronounce 'ma-lee-a' like the resort, and malia 'ma-lie-a'. Maybe I'm pronouncing it wrong though... but with the H the resort wouldn't cross my mind.

Oops, forgot the H on the second one. ironic
Malia - ma lee a
Maliah - ma lie ah

Haven't read through all the threads but my immediate thought was Malia in Crete.

No , don't like it.

What about Malala, for the girl shot by the Taliban and now living in Birmingham. Great name and great role model.

Are you pronouncing it MAH-lee-a or ma-LEE-a?

It's a nice name but makes me think of that party resort in Crete that I went to in my twenties!!!

Yes sorry I am just thinking about the drunken holiday resort too.

Haven't heard of the resort, thought of the Obamas

thanks everyone

this is rather very unfortunate. I am quite upset, almost crying as I had this name for months/year and just tought it was perfect, simple, no complicated , not pronounciation or spelling difficulties and still quite unique. It would work ok for english-speakers and also for speakers of my first language (all my side of my family) as well as for my husband's family who speak different language.

I am very indecisive person and it will be incredible difficult to come up with different name.

So would you name that anyway regardless what some other people think? or would you go for different name?

I am thinking Amalia- unfortumatelly very popular, but I could still call her Malia at home and perhaps later she could choose how she wants to be called among her friends etc.

or change spelling-

Maliah this migh be too close

Maliyah- its Ok, but my family would be very puzzled how to pronounce it

I also sort of like Amaya- but it is not related to our family at all in any way and not sure if I get my husband to agree.

Any other suggestions?

If you and your DH like it then don't worry about what others think. Especially if it has specific cultural meaning to you and your family.

It's a Greek holiday resort. Most people will associate the name with that. I would choose a different one.

it is awful, people will ask you if she was conceived there.

Yes, I'm with the 'pissed up resort - notably in The Inbetweeners movie' brigade.

But…I adore Amalia or Amaya. Both of those are gorgeous and I haven't heard any other child with those names.

Amalia is really not that common, we have a lot of girls named Amalie round here, but have only met one Amalia in my whole life. It would seem to solve your 'problems', but really if you love Malia so much, just stick with it, and pretend you never a bunch of total strangers for their opinion :)

Never asked ^

I like Maria- hardly used but lovely. Makes me think of that brilliant Santana song in a good way.

Amalia was a very famous Portuguese Fado singer

I see little connection between Maria & malia anyway. They do share letters but have different meanings & feels about them. If you love the name then you should use it- but not sure the family connection would be obvious.

I would see connection in names like marianne or Marietta & others of that ilk, which are already real names. Take heart though, you-neek names never go down well on mn, but would prob be more accepted in real life.
There are those who would call their children something that you would find frumpy or dull or too popular, we don't all have to like the same names. I would however consider if negative connotations would affect the child.

My problem is mal = bad in some languages. (root of malignant).