How would you pronounce Léa

[Ellani]

Hi all, my husband and I are French and Italian but live in London. We are trying to pick a name for our first baby girl. I’m just wondering how would you pronounce Léa?

I would actually say ‘Lee’ because I don’t know what the thing above the e is/does

Just to say, most English people will ignore / nit understand the accent!

Lea

I would say Lay-a like Leia from Star Wars. How should it be pronounced?

Yes, like Princess Leia.

Lay-a

I wouldn't know how to pronounce Léa. At all.

Lay - a. I've taught a handful of them over the years and they have all been Lay-a.

Depends if they’ve ever done French at school!

I’d also pronounce it Lay-a

I would assume it's said like Leah.
Obviously if I am told it's not I would correct myself.

I’d say Leia too IF I saw the accent. UK keyboards aren’t usually geared up for them so the name would very often be typed as Lea. Which looks as if it’s pronounced Lee.

The accent would make me say “lay-ah” but that’s because I studied French. I think most brits would say “lee”

Lee as in rhymes with Pea or Tea.

I'm a linguaphile so I know it's Leh-ah (to rhyme with playah ... uh, player) And many Brits have learned French so if they saw the accent aigu would know Lay-ah
BUT ...
With the rich heritage of your two countries, I suggest you both concentrate and think of a longer, more obvious or even unusual name. Since you both live in London, you will both have encountered a better name: Catherine, Elisabetta, Maddelena, Emilia, Sophie/Sophia are some easy ones. What about some more interesting angles like Pia, Jacqueline, Severine, Philippa, Josephine/a, Margarita/Marguerite, Gulietta/Juliette/Julia, Charlotte/Carlotta, Carmen/Carmina,
London (and most of urban England) can cope with all kinds of interesting names.
What are your grandmothers' names?

Le-uh, but that is partly my accent. Most people I know would say Lee-ah

Laya. Some people might not take into account the accent and say Lee or Leah though.

I’d think like ‘Leah’. Lea Michele pronounces it that way I think? I’ve never learned French so I wouldn’t know what the accent thing did.

Be prepared for English people to drop the accent too - the French zoë I knew was always just Zoe and the French Amelié was amelie. (I’m actually not sure if I’ve got the right accent over the right letter there?!)

That said, once you’ve told people the pronunciation they should be able to get it right! My son’s name is unusual and people often ask how to say it, once they’ve learned it’s fine.

I definitely wouldn't think "Lee", because I'd expect that to be spelled Lee or Leigh. (I do know "ea" sounds like "ee" sometimes, but automatically doesn't read like it here for some reason.
Instinct would be Lay-uh, but I wouldn't have ruled out Leah.

Basically it's one I'd want to hear before I said it!

Star Wars...

Lee ah

Lay-ah but I only know how to pronounce the é from beyoncé lol otherwise I'd say lee-ah if I didn't know

Lay-a. Like the French actress Léa Seydoux who
played James Bond’s wife in several of the most recent films.

My first thought was Leah (lee-ah), then I noticed the accent and thought maybe lay-ah.

I'm in London. There are two at my DC school and they are both Lay-uh (as in Star Wars).

Lee like Lea and Perrins