How would you pronounce the name 'malia'

[ShazGranger]

Hi all!

We are wanting to call our baby girl 'malia' but am wondering how it's going to be pronounced? We want it pronounced like Obama s daughter. Will that work in the UK do you think?

Mullia or Mulia?

This made me think of the wonderful Marlene Dietrich

Maleah looks to be the closest to the spelling that would get that sound! Yay :)

Ma-li-a

Thank you for your help all 😊 much appreciated!

After chatting to lots of mums on the baby centre app forum it seems that Maliah is the prettiest spelling, gets the right pronounciation, and isn't a boozy Greek resort! So I think it'll be that! 😊

I personally don't see the point of adding an H.

Malia looks far prettier than Maliah imo.

Mash lee ah .There is no ' R' in it.

Maah lee ah

Just been listening to Michelle Obama's autobiography on audio and it is pronounced Muh-LEE-ah. Which is totally different to how I had always said it in my head (MAR-lee-a).

If you want it pronounced Muh-LEE-ah, you won't be able to shorten it to Mali, because that the sounds are all wrong.

I disagree but thank you so much for taking an interest in my question 😊 very sweet of you!

Mmm.... I'd probably pronounce Maliah as Ma-LIE-Ah, with the middle syllable rhyming with tie or bye. But I'd pronounce Malia as MA-lee-ah.... I think you're just going to have to train people!

Marley-uh.

It reminds me of malaria.

Mar is to show mah (a as in baaa) rather than ma (a as in cat) and mar and mah sound the same in many accents.

This is my 2yos name - Maria with an L.
I do have to correct people on pronounciation.

I didn't know about Obama's daughter but I would think it was like Talia. So I would check the pronounciation first as I know that varies with that name.

So I would be guessing mar-lee-ar (more emphasis on the mar) or muh-lee-ah (emphasis on the lee)

I just saw you update. If I saw your new spelling Maliah, I would be guessing Mar- lee- ar, the 'ah' at the end makes me want to give a long ahhh sound at the end.

So I would suggest going with your original spelling. Malia looks nicer also I think.

mah lee ah
Or could also be
Mah lee ah
I like both :)

Mah-lee-ah

Is say Ma lia like Ta lia

I’d pronounce Maliah as I would Mariah
Either way you spell it, a lot of people would associate it with the party place

MA Leeah A like cat like the Greek clubbing resort on Crete

Malia like Thalia

Maliah like Mariah

I know a little Melia (I think that's how it's spelt). They pronounce it Mu-lee-ah. I like Maliah and agree that avoiding the Greek resort is a good plan .

Mu-LEE-ah I meant to say.

I know the Obama's pronounce it in Muh-Lee-ah

I'd pronounce it like the infamous party island - Mal-lee-ah

Do they really say Muh as in Moo?