How would you pronounce Alicia

[ArtOfKnit]

Hi all,

My husband and I are trying to choose baby names as we haven't come up with many options and LO is due next week. My husband's top girls name, which I'm also quite keen on, is Alicia, which we both pronounce as A-Liss-ee-a. However it has dawned on me that some might pronounce it A-lee-sha. Would be great to get some outsider opinions on how others would pronounce it. Thanks in advance!

I say it like you do, OP.

I'd think A-liss-e-a but I used to know one who pronounced her name as A-lee-see-ah.

And the the American pronunciation is A-lee-sha (Good Wife).

I think you'd just have to pick the one you like and she might have to correct people. Usually it only takes one correction for people to get it.

Aleesha.

I'm in Australia. Have never heard Alicia pronounced any other way.

Aleesha.... Alysia is the spelling you want.

I use your pronunciation OP

Absolutely no need to mess about with the spelling (although nowt wrong with alternative spellings if you like them).

A-liss-i-ah is a very traditional pronunciation of Alicia.

Yes, there's inconsistency between Patricia & Felicia, but tomayto tomahto.

Funnily enough just had a text message from my dd's bff's mum. She pronounces it fine (A-liss-i-ah) but insists on transliterating it from her native Arabic into Alecia in texts. Now to me that looks like it should be pronounced Aleesha!

It's just one of those names, OP. Choose the spelling & pronunciation you like best & accept not everyone will 'see' it quite as you do.

Annoyingly, I went with it because a friend had bagged Alice. Our dds have never met. Would've been much easier!

I remember on University Challenge once, Jeremy Paxman "corrected" a contestant's pronunciation. The answer was "Alicia Keys". Paxman said "Er, yes, Alyssia Keys, that's right"

Like you (and Paxman) I would also say Alyssia, which is the traditional English pronunciation, unless told otherwise.

Well I guess there's Alicia Silverstone (A-li-see-ya)

Then there's Alicia Keys (A-lee-sha)

Well that's how I would pronounce them anyway. So quite American sounding... And of course younger people may not have heard of either!

(Sorry just read post above had already mentioned AK)

I've known some pronounce it A-liss-ia and some A-lees-ia, but never Aleesha. It's a lovely name.

I know one of each - an A-liss-ee-uh and an A-leesh-a.

I've no idea which is technically "correct".

Same as you OP.

I have an Alicia, pronounced Al-ee-sha. No-one has ever called her A-liss-ee-a. People don't call Patricias.. Patric-ee-ah.

I have two in my team at work. One is Ali-sha and the other is Ali-cee-a. I need to make sure I use the right one each time.

Aleesha

But then I only know one and she changed her name because she hated it so much 😬

Two very close but different sides of family pronounce it the same way.

Aleeseeya

Beautiful name!

I always wondered how to pronounce it when reading Malory Towers as a child! Since being a teacher I've taught Alicias who pronounce it both ways.

I would say it like the Alice with an ia sound on the end.
Alice-ia

I'd pronounce Alicia A-liss-ee-a, didn't even know A-leash-a was an alternative pronounciation - the only one I know spells her name Alisha.

I would say A-liss-ee-a because that's the traditional pronunciation, at least in the UK (and I grew up with someone with this name). Lovely name. A-lee-sha is the American version.

Just like the American pronunciation of Marcia is Marsha, whereas Brits say Mar-see-a.

I'd say Alisha, like St Lucia (lusha).

Good point about Patricia - in English you'd say Patrisha. So Alicia is Alisha.

Aliss-eeya

My name is Alicia - pronounced Aleesha. I hated it when I was younger and it got mispronounced, however I would pronounce it Alissia