Does UK pronounciation of Elias definitely rhyme with Tobias

[Ruthshaw1980]

Dear all

Following on from last week’s poll regarding boys name, it appears that DH may (and surprisingly) be favouring Elias as his preferred choice. Without getting too excited since this is also my favourite of the names polled, I would just like to check the English pronunciation of Elias. I understand on the continent they would say el-EEE-us whereas the English pronounciation is e-LIE-us, therefore rhyming with Tobias. Is this correct?? Oh and before anyone asks, yes Tobias itself is a lovely name but off limits as taken by Nephew

My little boy is Elias, yes I agree with TamiTayorismyparentinguru that is the way to pronounce! It's a lovely name and quite unusual in UK x

El-eye-us
Tuh-bye-us

Neither of the first syllables is stressed, so whereas Toby is pronounced Toe-bee, the first To in Tobias is more of a 'tuh' sound (unstressed schwa, as in 'the' before consonants) and in fact the El in Elias is not a very strong 'el', more of an 'al'/'ul'.

I pronounce Tobias

T bye ass

With a short T sound though I have heard it pronounced Toe bye ass

There’s no universal U.K. pronunciation of a word. I actually don’t know how I’d pronounce Elias...

Yep I'd say it like Tobias! Love both those names so much

I think you'll have a problem with El-ee-as and El-eye-as all the time. I speak Italian and would probably say El-ee-as, because the Italian name Elia is said El-ee-a and is a not uncommon name, whereas I have never met a British Elias.

Eh-lie-us shortened to Ee-lie (lie as in liar) not Elly-us shortened to Ellie like the girl's name

I'd say

Tobias = To bee as
Elias = El ee as

I don't see why it wouldn't be El ee as or To bee as actually

Because Elias is ta form of Elijah, and you don't say EL-ee-ja. It's El-EYE-ja. Elias and Tobias are both in the dictionary (Collins), and that also tells you how to say it. So, Elias is listed as:
"(ɪˈlaɪəs ) noun
Bible the Douay spelling of Elijah"
You can listen to the pronunciation as well if you look at the dictionary online.

One of my nephews (in law) is an Elias. Pronounced eh-LIE-ass in our family.

Eh-lye-as here so yes would rhyme with Tobias and starts off the same as Elijah. Lovely name.

South west here, and yes those names rhyme

There’s no universal U.K. pronunciation of a word

And there's certainly no universal European pronunciation of a word. "On the continent they would say..." – sorry OP, but there are 23 official languages spoken in Europe (and many more non-official ones), and they don't all pronounce everything the same!

In mine, it sounds very similar to Elliott, but with an S instead of a T at the end.

In the UK definitely it'd rhyme with Tobias.

Elly Ass

Elly ass

T' by ass

Only Elias I've ever known pronounced it El-ee-us so that's how I'd say it. Both he and I are English.

Eh lye us

Tobias is Toe Bye Ass

Elias to rhyme with Tobias here too.

Sounds like lie-us.

Yes rhymes with Tobias here. I actually had Both names on my list with ds2, but dp didn't like them.

I think that's your answer! You could pronounce it either way and lots of people will either tell you you've got it wrong out just do it differently. Fwiw I'm El-eye-as

e-LYE-as to rhyme with to-BYE-as here in Australia.

Yes to rhyme with Tobias here (English native speaker)