Girls shortlist...is Eilidh a bit unrealistic for living in England??

[marmitecheesetoast]

So we don't know what we're having but approaching 32 weeks and feel like we should really probably start to sort out our names shortlist! No idea about boys (that's a whole other thread for another day ) but we have a few ideas for girls.

I've always loved Isla, for years I thought if I ever have a girl I'll call her Isla, but it's got so popular now that once I knew I was pregnant I discounted it. As approaching due date it does keep popping back into my head though..but really I feel like realistically she would end up being one of four Islas in her class? I suggested Eilidh as an alternative which I think I actually love as much/more than Isla now and DH loves it too - yay! However, is it a bit of a burden giving that name when we live in England? Would she be forever spelling her name/people saying her name wrong?? We have a long-ish surname which while not particularly complicated we do have to spell quite a lot....

I'm Scottish and while a Scottish name isn't a must, (we have some other names on shortlist too) I am quite keen to have a Scottish name. We hope to move back to Scotland in a few years too but nothing definite.

So shortlist is

Eilidh (love it but is it unrealistic giving this name in England?)
Isla (pretty sure we are going to discount this as too popular?)
Ailsa - I suggested as easier alternative to spell than Eilidh but DH not so keen)
Also like Alice and Evelyn...

Would welcome thoughts/opinions on the above generally and particularly on whether Eilidh would be a bit of a burden living in England?! Thanks!

I live in the South East and have known two Eilidh's - I think it's a beautiful name. Go for it!

I love the name! I'm English living in Wales but heard it visiting friends in Scotland

Eilidh Alice is a bit too similar imo

Agree that even the most common names like Isabel have so many variations they need to be spelled out.

Eilidh is a lovely name, I also love Eilish

I know it's not pronounced eyelid, but that's how I always say it in my mind, because that's how it looks to my (Australian) eyes.

I know one but she's spelt Ailie which is more pronounciation friendly. Like Seona too (pronounced Shona). Also Isla, Iona, Lilah and Alice. But Isla is very popular as you say.

I know one but she's spelt Ailie which is more pronounciation friendly

I know an Aylie if that gives another option

When I was young my whole village was called either Emma, Claire or Sarah and different spellings or names from other cultures stood out and it was something to avoid. These days there is much more variety in names in general and at my children's school (not London) there are names from all round the world. Indian, turkish, Greek, Romanian, syrian, Latvian, Chineese, Jordan. Mainly you hear a name said so you know how to pronounce it and certainly young children can't even read when they first get to know each other. I don't think an Eilidh would stand out. It's very pretty.

We have an Ailee in my town.

My best friend is named Eilidh and we went to school together. Literally every time a new teacher or supply teacher started and read out the register, they'd either get stuck on her name and ask how to pronounce it, or they'd guess and pronounce it "eyelid"...

She was always fairly shy and as her best mate I always piped up to correct the teachers that said it wrong. "It's pronounced like HAYLEY without the H!", I would say in my exasperated, teenagery eye-roll way... Literally no-one seemed to be able to pronounce it!

Having said that I still think it's a brilliant name, I'm sure if you asked her whether it's worth the trouble of having an unusual name, she'd say she loves her name.

We lived next door to a Scottish family whose DD was called Eilidh. It's a really pretty name but she will have to spell it out a fair bit and correct pronunciation. But there are so many names where the same applies and I'm not sure it's a good reason for passing up on a name you really like.

How about Ailie?

My relative is Ailie, Scottish born and bred and when she moved South she had no problems with it. I love it.

Thanks everyone

Hhmm yes having said it out loud I realise Eilidh Alice doesn't really work!

Ailis/h is nice too but the sh sound at the end probably doesn't work that well with our surname.
I've never really come across Ailie as an alternative spelling but maybe one to keep in mind.

This has all been really helpful and I think has reassured us to definitely keep Eilidh on the girls shortlist and I think it is a strong favourite for now! Interesting too that quite a few people saying they don't know any Islas in Scotland, wonder if the popularity is beginning to wane

I guess we better start thinking about the boys shortlist now!

Isla has become popular. Which means what? There are a few thousand of them every year across the country. I've only ever met one. It's statistically very unlikely there'll be four in a class....and, worst case, she'll be known as "Isla Surname" for a while. I'd go with what you love rather than trying to be unusual.

I know an Alisa who is known as Ailie if that helps.

Eilidh is a gorgeous name but I do think you'll need to be spelling it out to everyone and putting up with a lot of mishearing Hayley constantly.

Ailsa not Alisa...bloody aurocorrect!

I like Eilidh, just stick with that. But Eilidh Alice doesn't seem to work.

And I'm saying go with Eilidh Fromm someone who has to spell/pronounce her name constantly. It's never once bothered me and I like that it's different. Seems to be a MN thing that it is some imagined hardship having a name that isn't instantly recognisable. It really isn't a problem, I have to spell both my names.

I'm in England and have an Eilidh.

We do have to explain how to pronounce it or how to spell it now and again but it's never caused any problems.

I chose a fairly common, simple middle name so she could use that if she grew to hate having an unusual name.

People always comment on what a beautiful name it is so dd loves it

Just call her Isla if you like it! Why does it matter if it's popular? Just means it's a nice name

I'd say Evelyn. I'm a bit subjective here- my best friend's name is Evelyn, she's gorgeous, kind and has an amazing personality. Also Evelyn comes from hebrew and the meaning is life. Beautiful

Eilidh is lovely.

I don't think that going for a more pronounciation friendly spelling will help; I know an Ailie, and she has to correct people who assume it's spelled Eilidh.

Thankyou for the pronunciation. I've always read it as El-eeth in my head, never known it was ayley. Very pretty

Thanks, I started off with Isla as my favourite but DH and I now like Eilidh even better anyway, i actually really love it simple middle name seems like a good idea.
Any suggestions?!

Hayley?

Rosanna? An old friend of mine was a (h)aley Rosanna and i always thought it was really pretty

What about Eily for spelling?