The name Liliana?

[Bellacatt]

Currently pregnant with dd1 and OH is less open minded with names than I am! We both like Liliana (pronounced Lily-Anna). My main problem is that our last name is Lewis and I've never been keen on alliterative names but this sounds ok to me? What do you think?

I also have always loved Annie as a nickname and prefer it to Lily. I feel like people would naturally shorten to Lily...but would it be odd to give the nickname Annie? Coming from the 'ana' part.

Thanks!

@RuthW

why? In Spain it’s written Ana and pronounced with a short a like the Uk Anna

In Norway it’s written Anna but pronounced Ah-nuh with a long A

one or two ns has nothing to do with it

@Luredbyapomegranate , how Ana is pronounced by spanish speakers has nothing to do with how Liliana is said in the UK.

In English, the double n usually shortens the preceding vowel.

A friend of mine is called Lianna (Lee-anna) and she gets called Lee-Arna a lot and hates it

It’s very pretty but it might get shortened to Lilly. Lilly seems very popular at the moment.

Unless you're going to live in Spain, no!

-Ana words, we use, like Victoriana or banana, are ah-nuh generally, in England. I haven't heard anyone say ban-anna. Yet!

I agree it's Arna not Anna sounding on the end. I don't like it, too frilly for me. I'm also sick of hearing the neighbours kids screeching it when they all play out!

@Gr33ngr33ngr4ss , bandana is ban-danna, but lots of people say band-arna

bandana is from portuguese not spanish but they both have Ana for Anna

As PP says, you have to use "Lillianna" if you want an "anna" sound on the end.
Most people will say "Ah-na" if there is only one n.

@KirstenBlest Well they are both non-English names adopted here, and Ana is more familiar as a guide, so I would say it is relevant to the OPs question: how will people say it, rather than how should they say it

Double n rule - yep - but not universal eg Diana

Lily-Anne (sounds similar to Lilliana) and Lily are very, very popular. If you don’t like the nn Lily then you’re going to be upset when all her friends call her Lily. If you don’t prefer Anna then why not call her that instead of Lilliana?

@Luredbyapomegranate , I think you miss my point. Liliana will be pronounced Lily-Arna, as will Lilianna in some parts of the UK.

I would also pronounce it Lily-Ah-na rather than Lily-Anna and the only one I know pronounces it like this too. What about Annelie or Anneliese? Kind of similar but the nickname Annie makes more sense.

Annie Lewis is beautiful.
Not lilyana ( reminds me of a bad stage name)

Or even Anna Lewis. A timeless name.

Interesting. I would say Liliana as Lily Anna and have what would be considered a fairly posh RP accent.
I don't like it though. It's fussy. I would go for Anna or Anya if you wanted the Annie nn.

If you like it go for it. People get used to your pronunciation. The Lilyana i know says it Lily Arna. But I am in the SE 🙂. Annie could be a nn and much nicer than the lily derivatives.