Baby name Leni

[Joy1990]

Hi what are people’s thoughts on the baby name Leni? I love it but pronounced Lay-nee but I’m worried she would get called Lennie all the time? What would most of you see this name as?

Makes me think of Lenny Kravitz.
But that's not a bad thing!

Missing the point here. It’s not the name poster means - it’s the butchered spellings!

I don't think it's fair to say it will be 'mis-pronounced' in Britian, I think the problem lies in that it's just generally pronounced differently in Britain to the German pronunciation that the OP prefers.

A good friend of mine is German and called Eva, intended to be pronounced 'E-fa' (closer to the Irish name Aoife than the British pronunciation of Eva). She lives in Britain now so for ease of day to day life just goes by the British pronunciation of the name.

I've liked the name since watching the American series Everwood. There was a character called Laynie Hart. If you prefer the spelling Leni, go for it. For what it's worth, I would have pronounced it like Laynie even spelt the way you suggest. In English spelling it would need double n to be Lennie.

I have a similar problem with a professional I have to deal with at work. Her name is Roni. I haven't met her yet, so I'm not sure if it's pronounced "Roh-knee" or like the male nickname for Ronald: Ronnie.

There is absolutely no Y sound in Leni or in Eleni. Englisch speakers seem to add random sounds

It's the 10th most popular German girls name and "Lay-nee" is the standard German pronunciation of the name Leni

It is absolutely NOT pronounced Lay-nee !!!!!

I’d probably make the spelling to be how you want it to sound. As someone who spends half their life dictating the spelling of their name I’d say don’t do that to your child.

As someone who spends half their life dictating the spelling of their name I’d say don’t do that to your child.

Yes! And don't pick a foreign name that doesn't work in English.

Yes I had realised and apologised upthread!

people are suggesting different spellings to Leni such as Laney

For English speakers, Laney is perfect!

This. I'm a Leni, short for Eleni. I hate it when people pronounce it Lay-nee

But the German name Leni is pronounced as lay-nee.

No it's not!

Why are people assuming such incorrect pronunciations?

If you want Laynie, how about Elaine?

Leni is not pronounced with a Y sound.

I adore Leni. I thought it was pronounced Lennie though? The girl I know called it was. It's adorable. Scandi name isn't it?

Sounds a common name

TBF, you get both pronunciations because the full/root name, Helena, also has two pronunciations: the anglicised way and the Germanic way.

@LiterallyOnFire either way it's literally my favourite girls name! Ever since I knew a girl at school called it.

Leni is easily learnt and easily corrected.
Use it; people will soon get used to the pronunciation.

Then there is Lena - pronounced like Lois Layna.

Neither Leni or Lena are pronounced with an AY sound.

Maybe that's the best English speakers can do

Yes it's the nearest sound in English as we don't have the same eh sound.

I would spell it Layna or Leynie in that case. That helps English speakers how to pronounce it in English.

I've taught a Laynie, Lainie, Lena and a Leni (Lenny). So I would say it would mostly be pronounced Lenny by strangers but once they know it should be OK

Leni Riefenstahl is not a great name association!

Yup....

I know someone who spells it Lanie