How do you pronounce Finlay?

[myloveforfrazzles]

We are considering the name Finlay for our DC. We like it pronounced Fin-lee, but our family think it should be pronounced Fin-lay.

I actually think I would like it better with the Scottish pronunciation. I lived there for a year and I can hear it in my head the way I think they would say it there. Am I right in imagining that it’s somewhere closer to ‘leh’ so not actually lay as as in play?

But down here I’ve only ever heard it with a sound at the end that’s similar to leigh.

The way our Scottish neighbour pronounces it is indeed closer to Findleh.

That’s probably where some confusion lies then. A bit like the supposed ‘r’ in bath which isn’t an r but more like a long ahhh sound. There’s always a lot of debate about that one.

Although my OH has just said that if you’re from Somerset there could well be a bit of an ‘r’ in there. Which hadn’t occurred to me...

I love threads like this, always quite interesting.

Finlee

It’s such a 50/50. So in Scotland it’s more Fin-leh than fin-lay?

Dunno I'm Scottish and I'd say Finlee with the emphasis on the fin part so the lee isn't very harsh but still not lay as in play.

It's more Lay than Leh to me.(Scottish) I'd say Finley more like Leh but Finlay as written.

Fin-lay. There’s no E in it

Fin lee

Finlay and Findlay (as a surname) both quite common in Scotland and always Fin lay, never Fin lee

How do you pronounce Lindsay? I always say lin-zee so assume that Finlay would be fin-lee?
Also from London

Finlee

Fin lee

Only time I've heard fin lay was one of the presenters on CBeebies said fin lay and it seemed really odd to me

Must be regional haha

Definitely FinLAY. And to the poster who said how do you get the "lay" sound from Finley then it's the same as "grey" surely?

I'd say Lindsay/Lynsey the same - a "say" at the end. Central Scotland - I've never heard either of these names (or their variants) pronounced any differently.

Lindsay is Lin-see here, interesting point. I’m guessing it’s regional.

definitely regional.

I'm from East Anglia and both spellings would be pronounced Fin-Lee here. As would Lindsay/Linsey.

I have a Finlay and it's pronounced Fin Lay, although most people call him Fin Lee.

Lay

I would think it was pronounced Finley whether it was spelt Finley or finlay

I’m Scottish. I say FIN-lee. I’ve never heard it any other way.

Plus, while we’re on the topic, Barclay’s Bank should be pronounced BARK-lee.

I’m right. The end.

Finley - GTR Manc

I've never heard anyone call in Barth!
Have you really never heard a West Country accent? It’s how people round Bath say it.

There are two in ds’s class. One pronounces it lay and the other lee. I call them both Fin because I can never remember which is which.

I'm Scottish and have a Fin-Lay