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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Amaya or Amara

31 replies

lorinska · 30/08/2019 15:37

Which one is nicer x

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NoSauce · 30/08/2019 16:35

Amara. Beautiful name.

Shadow1234 · 30/08/2019 16:40

Definitely Amara out of the two (or Amira?)

Frith2013 · 30/08/2019 16:58

Amara. Amaya sounds made up.

Hairsprayqueeen · 30/08/2019 17:07

I like amaya. I know an Amaya (about 14 years old now).

Amara/Amira remind me of a water company in Scotland.

Shantotto · 30/08/2019 17:29

Amaya isn’t made up! Have you never watched PJ Masks?!

Original poster
lorinska · 30/08/2019 18:58

Anyone else?

OP posts:
ZuzuMyLittleGingersnap · 30/08/2019 19:20

Both lovely names!

Would you be pronouncing it A-MY-uh or A-MAY-uh?

If A-MAY-uh, then I think it fractionally wins my overall vote.
(and "night rain" meaning is poetic).

AverageMummy · 30/08/2019 19:48

Amara

autumnkate · 30/08/2019 23:37

I know someone called Amaia (A-my-uh) and I think that is so pretty

Dinosauraddict · 30/08/2019 23:40

I know an Amalaya which I'd never come across before, but now think is a beautiful name.

HannahC86 · 31/08/2019 00:42

I worked with an Amaya and she got called A-may-a, Am-a-ya, A-my-a etc, to the point where everyone tried to avoid saying her name as noone knew how it was supposed to be said. I think people assumed it wasnt phonetic and kept trying to apply other pronounciation rules to the spelling....
I think Amara is beautiful, strong and classy, and is probably more likely to be pronounced right. Its popular in Cambodia and means beautiful in Khmer.

bellylaughs · 31/08/2019 00:46

Amaya is a popular name in the Basque Country, it can also be spelt Amaia. There it is pronounced am-eye-a. I love it but my DH thought it would be confusing for English people so we didn’t go for it in the end.

MamaToAli · 31/08/2019 00:54

I love amaya

coconuttymummy · 31/08/2019 02:33

I love them both, but Amaya is definitely my favourite. X

KatherineJaneway · 31/08/2019 02:43

Amara

Sophronia · 31/08/2019 21:19

Amara

PodgeBod · 31/08/2019 21:24

Amaya

WhenYouCantRunYouCrawl · 31/08/2019 21:27

Don't name your child Amaya if you don't want to hear "becomes Owlette" every time you say her name.

Ofitck · 31/08/2019 21:35

Yes every other Basque girl is called Amaia, it's nice. Amara is the grottier district in San Sebastián so also Basque but a place name rather than a girls name.

You seem to like Basque names so of a similar vein:

Ainara
Naia
Naiara
Ainhoa (silent h)

HannahC86 · 31/08/2019 23:22

Love the Amaia spelling and actually think it would be easier than Amaya, at least for people familiar with names like Maia and Gaia.

MrsGilly1 · 01/09/2019 07:46

Amara x

Amia is also pretty x

Clayplease · 01/09/2019 12:43

Amara is lovely.

HeadlessGummyBears · 08/09/2019 04:51

Amara

HeronLanyon · 08/09/2019 05:20

Amaya - not heard other than a restaurant I used to go to.
Amara - might be confused with Tamara (?).
Not fond of either - personally - so irrelevant to your decision. Congrats op.

Gatepost1820 · 08/09/2019 09:20

Amaya and Amara are both classical Muslim girls names and both are lovely.