How would you pronounce Selah?

[Flutterflybutterby]

A biblical word, the meaning of which is not certain but it's thought to be a musical instruction meaning "to pause; reflect on God". It is quite a well-known name in American Christian communities (I know 4 baby Selahs!) but I assume fairly rare in the UK.

My question is, how would you pronounce this name? The Selahs I know pronounce it differently. Also, do you know any baby Selahs? If so, how do they say the name?

Lastly, do you like it? What sort of middle name do you think goes with it? Two of the Selahs I know have long, classic middle names (think Catherine, Elizabeth type names) and the other two short, snappy, one syllable, cool middle names. What would you choose?

(The Selahs I know pronounce it either Say-luh or See-luh)

The one I know pronounces it Say-la

I’d probably pronounce it like Cellar until otherwise corrected 😅

Seal-ah

@DixiePeach

The one I know pronounces it Say-la

Is the one you know in the UK, out of curiosity? And is she a Christian, if you don't mind me asking? I'm wondering if it's used outside of Christian communities much.

Seller

I would probably say Seh-LAA. But I have never heard it said out loud so am probably wrong. It’s not a name I have come across before.

The Say-La pronunciation being so close to Sailor would put me off I think.

I’d pronounce it like stellar without the t.

I’ve never heard of it before

I would pronounce it See-lah

I do quite like it, although you and your daughter would be constantly explaining pronunciation and spelling. I have to do this with my name and it's tedious. Even people I know we'll call me the wrong name

Sell-uh

I agree with @Thegirlhasnamechanged

Seller, if I had never heard it pronounced otherwise (which I haven't, I don't know any).

@Thegirlhasnamechanged

I’d probably pronounce it like Cellar until otherwise corrected 😅

This

Sell-a (like Selma without the m)

I'm not a fan of names with multiple pronunciation, because I should inagine it gets very tiresome if you are having to explain life-long

@TheSpiral

Seller, if I had never heard it pronounced otherwise (which I haven't, I don't know any).

Oh yeah 😂😂 why didn’t I think of that instead of the convoluted explanation I gave 🤦🏼‍♀️

Cellar. As in ‘she was locked in the cellar’.

Seller.
Never known one tho.

See-lar

sellar, but with the stress on the second syllable.

se-LLAR

(I am a Christian, don't know any kids called selah, but that it how we pronounce it if reading Psalms aloud)

or maybe better to say

se - LLAH

as I wouldn't roll the r on the end

I've never heard of it, and I would have pronounced it like Cellar.

I don't really like it tbh. Don't think Say - luh (Sailor?) or See-luh are particularly nice sounds.

Maybe Cilla as an alternative?

Yes they are in UK but not originally from uk and they are practicing Christians.

I've only heard it pronounced as SEE-lah.

See-lah. I'm a Christian and while I've never met anyone who's called it, I've heard it read many times (it crops up a lot in Psalms) and it's always been pronounced like that.

Id think it was Sell-uh