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Baby names

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Original poster

Are these truly terrible names?

127 replies

kiylahskies · 18/08/2018 22:21

Hello Smile. Me and DH have decided on two names for our DD when she arrives 1)Leilani (pronounced Lay-larn-ee, not sure how we're going to spell that yet) meaning: Heavenly flowers. And 2) Eyanah (pronounced Ay-yah-nah) meaning: educated/ a pretty flower.
MIL hates them both and says she'll cringe every time she has to call her grand daughter. One of DH's friends gave us a bit of a face when we told him. Are these names really that bad/ which one do you prefer?
Thank you so much!

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BakedBeans47 · 18/08/2018 22:36

Leilani is ok. Why would you consider changing the spelling though?
Eyanah sounds OK but looks ugly written down IMO

Hellohah · 18/08/2018 22:37

I have seen so many name threads on here, and I don't understand the current need to have such unusual names.

Original poster
kiylahskies · 18/08/2018 22:37

one of them is from my culture - and yes she will be growing up here, maybe i should "normalise" leilani down to leila?

OP posts:
MissBax · 18/08/2018 22:39

Hate them both, soz

TheLovelyOtherDinosaur · 18/08/2018 22:40

What about just Lani. I know a little Lani and she’s beautiful. It’s less of a mouthful but still lovely

CrispbuttyNo1 · 18/08/2018 22:40

The first one sounds like something on the garden. The second just looks and sounds clumsy.

Alana/alanah would sound better.

KERALA1 · 18/08/2018 22:40

There are several girls in my dds class with complicated frilly name s like this with too many vowels and not obvious how to pronounce them. Seems to be a "thing"". I inwardly eye roll when I helped out on a class trip I couldn't remember who pronounced their name how and kept thinking "grr too many vowels"!

RickOShay · 18/08/2018 22:42

I like Leilani. Have you thought about Lorelei

LeeMiller · 18/08/2018 22:42

They're both a bit fussy.

Leilani is very close to leylandi. Leila/Layla is prettier (and you could use Leilani as a nn if you wanted?).

Eyanah written down makes me think of Eeyore. Ayana is a nicer spelling, I prefer Lana/Alana though.

Sophronia · 18/08/2018 22:57

Leila is nicer. Don’t like Eyanah.

TatianaLarina · 18/08/2018 23:13

Leilani is lovely and it’s well enough known or should be for people to know how to pronounce it. Leila is a very pretty diminutive. DD then has the choice of the longer or shorter version. She might also get called Lani and Lana.

Eyanah I think will cause more problems in terms of pronunciation.

You shouldn’t take opinions here as representative. Posters here are fairly conservative and seem to live in obscure pockets of the country that have never heard of anything but Ella and Evie.

CatPatrol · 18/08/2018 23:17

I know two Leilanis and both pronounce it the same way, although differently to your OP. Is it a name that is pronounced differently in different countries/areas as that could make things a real hassle if you always have to correct people about how to say the name.

pipilangstrumpf · 18/08/2018 23:20

Leilani is a nice name and simple enough to pronounce. I know a teenage Leilani.

RavenWings · 18/08/2018 23:23

Really like them. Eyanah is a bit more difficult to manage I think. People are well used to Laila etc names so Leilani isn't a huge stretch imo. It's similar to Lorelai I think

Knittingteapot · 18/08/2018 23:24

I think they're both beautiful sounding names and really not that unusual depending on whereabouts you live. I prefer Leilani, but only because I think it looks nicer written down.

I know little girls called Anaya and Alanna, and an adult called Alanie; which have a similar sound but possibly not the same cultural background you're looking for.

saratustra · 18/08/2018 23:37

I used to be a teacher, and in my classroom I had loads of unusual names (for me at least!) from different countries, so kids and adults were used to spelling/ correcting their names for others. Not a big deal, go with whatever you like.

pingoose · 18/08/2018 23:40

Leilani is a beautiful name and very common around the Pacific. If she moved to NZ no one would think twice about the pronunciation and spelling Smile

PinkAvocado · 18/08/2018 23:43

Leilani is lovely.

BertrandRussell · 18/08/2018 23:45

Are they names from your language/culture?

Greeneyedgeek83 · 18/08/2018 23:46

Wouldn't be my style but I don't think there's anything wrong with Leilani personally. I like old fashioned and traditional names. I told my mum I liked Martha and I thought she might have a heart attack. She said it's horrible to call your child such an old name lol

huggybear · 18/08/2018 23:48

If they are names from your culture then people will get used to it. Otherwise no, I agree the first one sounds like a connifer.

PenelopeFlintstone · 18/08/2018 23:48

I know a Leilani. She's in her 30s and is usually called Lani.

PenelopeFlintstone · 18/08/2018 23:49

In her case, her mum went to Hawaii and heard the name and liked it.

NameChangedNow · 18/08/2018 23:52

Ayana is a better spelling IMO
Also have you considered Amira?

DollyDayScream · 18/08/2018 23:58

They don't sound unusual, they sound a bit common.

I know this sounds terrible and snobbish, but I won't be the only one (on MN at least).

Maybe I'm not your target sample. I dare say that you'd find my DC names very plain and boring.