Scottish names.

[seawiych]

Hi all. I’m English and my husband is Scottish. We tend to travel a lot between the two countries.
Ever since I was a child I had a best friend named Eilidh. Pronounced Ay-Lee. It’s Gaelic for sun ray/sun light. It’s a Scottish name and I adore it.
We are due to have a baby girl soon and I’d love to use the name. I know it’s not easy phonetically in English bit most people get it straight away once told and I don’t see it as an issue.
My husband is worried that it might be hard when we are in England.
May I have your thoughts please?

I love it! Lots of names have unusual spellings these days, so I think it’s fine to use in England. I have a very commonly used name from my generation and I often still have to spell it over the phone!

I know an adult Eilidh from Scotland who lives in London. The name’s not an issue. She just tells people how to pronounce it and they do.

My DD has a Scottish name, living in England.
At school, teachers get it quickly.
Most people mis spell it.
Passport control look at it in confusion and ask her her name. (Except at Edinburgh Airport).
The biggest trouble is things like certificate presentations where they haven't come across it before.

Its only a five letter word very similar to an English name.

She likes ger name now. Didn't like it at 4/5 trying to learn phonics as it made absolutely no sense.

I love this name and really wanted it for one of mine but then realised that living in Lancashire it would be very much similar Hayley pronunciation due to us not always pronouncing our H’s. DH thought it would cause a lot of confusion so vetoed it, I was gutted as I love it as well as Eilish but then that got ruined by a particular singer, for me!

@seawiych I can't remember her mum's name but many years ago MNet had a very special EilIdh. There were candles lit across the country for her. MNetters reported candles in neighbours' windows.

In MNetworld, the name Eilidh would be an absolute honour.

Eilidh was a very special little girl and and has a place in the heart of every MNetter who were here when it was all fields.

I wouldn’t know how to pronounce it , but happy to be told , bear in mind though that by calling her that, you’re inflicting on her that she will probably be doing this for the rest of her life …

Oh gosh, that made me a bit teary. Sounds like it was a sad story. I would honour that name ☺️

Eilidh is Gaelic for Helen.

Lovely name, the English will adapt to it. I have a Scottish name and got on fine when I lived in England.

This is what my husband is concerned about. But, as I told him I had one at school when I was young in England and once you’re told no one forgets it.
It would only be an issue at the doctor’s office really!

It’s a lovely name but if she’s going to grow up in England she will spend her whole life correcting people and spelling it out!

What about Ailsa?

Thank you. I think it’s prettier than Helen though but I know it’s all speculative!
I know this is an anonymous thread but what’s your name? If it won’t give anything away! I’m keen to learn more x

It’s a gorgeous name. I am Scottish with a Scottish name - in my experience, people remember how to pronounce it right but may spell it incorrectly until corrected, no biggie.

You could always spell it Ailie to make the pronunciation more obvious

But Eilidh is beautiful, I'd definitely go for it.

May I know the name? I’m looking for options!

@Handrearedmagpie , It would get ,misspelt as Eilidh, Aily, Aylie etc.
It's the equivalent of spelling Jackson as Jaxon. Awful.

You could anglicise it to Eily? - I know one with that spelling, but she was born/lives in England (don’t think she visits Scotland that often). If you are mainly based in Scotland I’d probably stick with the original Gaelic. It’s a very pretty name.

my friend at school (in England) was called Eilidh she spent her childhood constantly being called eye lid by anyone new. Plus having to say it’s Eilidh just like ukulele ALL THE TIME

Ah I remember her well, though I think it was spelled Ailidh if it’s the same little girl I’m thinking of. A desperately sad story and there were a lot of people rooting for her ❤️

Eileen ?

I think you are right. Thank you ☺️

I think it was ExpatinScotland's dear daughter. I often think of Expat - hope she is okay

Thank you for your reply but I feel like Eileen is an old ladies name.

I have a Mhairi in Liverpool she has never had issues with spellings unlike the 10 Saoirse’s in the school

I think Eileen is a really pretty name ruined by a song.

Please don't pick one of the above anglicised names instead. None of them are particularly instinctive, so you would still get wrong pronunciation. It's a lovely name half the kids in her class will have names that are not traditional English names, kids just learn and accept.