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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Think I have made a mistake....

21 replies

jaabaar · 11/05/2010 17:03

Hi,

I have named my daughter Majah Imelda. But now I start thinking I might have made a mistake.

Majah is pronounced in english with J like John. Noticed it first time when doctor called her name MaJah, I didnt even react to it....

Do you think it is a horrible name? And having to always explain the pronounciation and spelling?????

Ufff....

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thisisyesterday · 11/05/2010 17:06

how do you pronounce it? with a y sound in the middle?
I think if you love the name then you should stick with it. People pronounce my children's names wrong all the time,.. i just correct them and eventually they remember

Original poster

jaabaar · 11/05/2010 17:07

yes it is pronounced with a Y in the middle.
There are many many reasons behind the name and the spelling, but just got terribly disapointed as I did not anticipate the english way to prounce it

OP posts:

onebatmother · 11/05/2010 17:17

It's lovely with a 'y' - just persevere and correct when people mispronounce, I think.

It will only be doctor's receptionists anyway! Everyone else will soon learn.

Cadelaide · 11/05/2010 17:21

The sound of the name is lovely.

You have to decide how much you mind about the possibility of constant corrections, would you be happy to change the spelling?

(Easy to change birth certificate up to 12m, btw)

ConDemNation · 11/05/2010 17:30

You could change the spelling? I mean it's a shame to have to consider it, but ti will deffo help with the pronunciation and so on...Maya is v popular here so people will say it right at least.
It's really your call.

ConDemNation · 11/05/2010 17:31

Mayah

I mean like that.

It's a gorgeous name, however you spell it. Not horrible at all.

Jamieandhismagictorch · 11/05/2010 18:24

It is a lovely sounding name, but is it important to you that it is spelled that way - could you change it?

It will probably piss you off a bit to have to correct people - many many people will get it wrong.

Having said that - I have to spell my name out to everyone I meet, and sometimes explain how to pronounce it to people who see it written - you get used to it

fluffles · 11/05/2010 18:28

you could spell it maiah or mayah if you'd prefer people to get it right first time, or you could just correct people - school and others who interact with her regularly will get it soon enough, but strangers will often get it wrong and people who hear it first will likely spell it wrongly too.

if you dont' mind me asking, what language is the spelling you're using from? i know most languages have a soft j sound rather than our strange sound.

brennannbooth · 11/05/2010 18:30

I don't think it's a horrible name at all, it is a nice one! She will have to correct the pronunciation quite often but so do lots of people.

GladioliBuckets · 11/05/2010 21:17

I'm confused, are you saying you want it pronounced like Major, May-a or My-a?confused Is the H essential, would be less confusing perhaps without it?

Original poster

jaabaar · 11/05/2010 22:42

Thanks for your comments. The name is to be pronounced like Maya but written Majah.

The spelling is very important to me. "Ja" from Majah is the first two letters of my maiden surname which will die out. If I spell the name with Y or I it will not be as lucky/harmonious for my daughter (numerlogoy etc).

I am glad to read that some of you with difficult names do not mind correcting people constantly.

Glad to hear that some like the name Majah.

Thanks again for the time of replying.

PS: I am from Switzerland. The J we pronounced as I.

OP posts:

Rockbird · 12/05/2010 10:11

Maya is a lovely name and people will get used to the spelling in time, but it does look confusing. To be honest I'd drop the 'h', Maja looks less confusing.

annasophia · 12/05/2010 10:18

I like Majah and would pronounce it Ma-ya. Lovely choice!

Original poster

jaabaar · 16/05/2010 15:21

Thanks, feel a bit better about it now

OP posts:

pixiestix · 16/05/2010 16:07

Beautiful and unusual, definitely stick with it!
When people have heard it once they won't need correcting again (If at all)

belgo · 16/05/2010 16:12

If you are worried about your maiden surname dying out, why don't you add it as a middle name?

Missus84 · 16/05/2010 16:14

The J sound in English and German is a bit of a problem isn't it! The name looks very pretty written down, and I think you'll have to resign yourself to correcting the pronounciation. If you ever move to another northern European country though I guess it won't be a problem anymore.

YellowDaffodil · 16/05/2010 19:20

Its lovely. Keep it.
People soon take the hint when they have been corrected a few times.

YellowDaffodil · 16/05/2010 19:20

Its lovely. Keep it.
People soon take the hint when they have been corrected a few times.

Journey · 17/05/2010 12:01

I thought Majah would be pronounced as Ma-ya. I think it is a pretty name but my only issue with it is its as if your trying too hard at trying to spell the name Maya differently, which takes away the nicest of the name for me. However, if I then found out you were from Switzerland I would then assume that this is perhaps the way they spell Maya.

Original poster

jaabaar · 19/05/2010 09:19

Thanks for all your messages!

Journey: the spelling was purely changed this way as it is a very lucky name for her according to numerology, birth, etc. That is the reason the H was added. Otherwise we would have spelled it only Maja (which is how it is spelled sometimes in switzerland).

Thanks again, feel happier now!

OP posts:

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