Alessia? But we’re not Italian

[OneMoreCoffee3]

Looking at girls names for my fourth, we don’t know the sex. We heard the name Alessia when watching a free diving documentary a few years ago and have toyed with it. Baby will be ethnically Chinese/ Irish mixed and raised in England

Lovely name go for it!

Nice name.
I love Alessia.

Names like it ..
Vanessa
Alexandra
Alice
Tess

It will get shortened to Less/Lessy

I know of 1 Alessia and she goes by Ally also another possibility

I think of Alessia Russo (good association!) and I think it's a lovely name

I love it.
My daughter has an Irish name and we have no Irish connections, I don't think it matters.

It doesn't matter but you'll be asked if there's an Italian connection.

Beautiful name Won’t necessarily be shortened.

It’s fine to use

It's lovely.

Quite honestly, I don't understand all these comment about people asking why a child has a name from another culture, particularly in such a global world as we now live in. Maybe I'm just unusually prone to minding my own business, but I would never say "OH?? Luca" You must be Italian then?"

I know one mum who was English but pronounced her son's Leonardo with a heavy Italian accent but that was just odd because she'd be talking away with a very Home Counties accent then suddenly drawl out a very Italian "LAAAAAY -oh NARR- Doh" then straight back to English in the very next word. But other than saying it with a theatrical foreign accent, I think foreign names can perfectly happily be used.

Beautiful name.
I heard the most insane name the other day of an older lady, beautiful name, I’ve never heard it before and I was told her parents picked it from a TV show.

Maybe I'm just unusually prone to minding my own business, but I would never say "OH?? Luca" You must be Italian then?"

I often ask. I wouldn't ask about Luca because it's so popular but I'd ask a Giovanni or Federico.
I wouldn't say 'You must be Italian then?', I'd say 'Oh, are you Italian?'

I love it. TBH, I didn't know it has Italian links. I worked with a Polish lady and her name pronounced the same way, but I think spelt differently.

Is it pronounced A-less-ia?

Alyssa is very similar and lovely too.

Yes, Ah-less-ee-a, stress on the less. I don’t mind Ally or Less/Lessie. Whatever she likes.

It’s been reassuring that many people wouldn’t think of it as odd on a Chinese/ Irish heritage person I’m the UK

Well, I guess even then, she only has to say "we just liked the name."

I wouldn't let it put you off OP. It's a good name: not too odd, not too common.

It’s pretty, I wouldn’t assume it was Italian. I also knew an Alessa which is nice too

@Calliopespa, Of course. It wouldn't put me off but I'd bear in mind that it might happen.

My daughter has an Italian name and we haven’t been asked this yet. I don’t think it’s a given :)

I didn't say it was a given. I'd not ask if the name was something like Francesca but I would if it was Giulietta.

me too and ... I doubt AR esp. identifies as Italian. You can deffo use this OP.

She has Italian heritage. "Russo is of part Italian descent – her Sicilian grandfather ..."

Yes

How about Eilish? Similar, but Irish. (I think).

Hmm. Baby not Italian or a cleverly designed fruit bowl - I’d avoid. Hints of spudulika.