Isla or Aila?

AliBride2006

Since DH and I seem to really like this name but HATE the idea of people butchering the pronunciation (we still have people saying "Mya" for our DD whose name is "Mia"), we thought we'd explore other spellings for Isla.

Do you prefer one over the other?

caeliesmom

I prefer Isla.

FutureMrs.Steen

Isla is better than Aila, but I'm not a fan of Isla. 

AndLyn

I prefer Isla; I would have pronounced Aila as "Ay-la."

candycane3t

Isla for sure

j_luvs_r

Isla

NewMama2010

Definitely Isla. I would have been more likely to mispronounce Aila and say it with a long A. In my opinion, Isla is very easy to pronounce (just like the world island).

qtpa2t

If you choose an unusual name, you have to be prepared that people are going to butcher the pronunciation.  I know a number of people who named their LOs 'Mia' and expect it to be pronounced like 'Mya'.  I agree with PPs that changing the spelling to Aila doesn't make it better.

PhilsWife07

IMO, the odds are pretty high that both of those names will be routinely mispronounced.

kegallagh

Isla. I think it will generally be pronounced correctly.

pinchu

Isla. My DD's name is Isla. It was mispronounced a little when she was born but really hardly ever now. Most people seem to be familiar with it.

Carilyn

I like Isla.

07bride

I would pronounce Isla: ees-la and Aila: eye-la

So if you want it to sound like eye-la go with Aila?

LesleyKimball

I am naming my daughter Isla. I like the traditional spelling. I have also seen it spelled Ila, Iyla.

jessawakawaii

I prefer Isla. I know you didn't ask for opinions regarding this, but Isla seems a little close to Mia for me personally. 

OctoberCAPA

I would say Isla like the beginning of island and Aila like ay-la. 

That said, Isla is pronounced ees-la in Spanish.  So if people say it that way, they aren't necessarily "butchering" the name.  I also know people who pronounce Mia "My-uh" and vice-versa.  

Court0026

Isla

dbos99

AliBride2006:

Since DH and I seem to really like this name but HATE the idea of people butchering the pronunciation (we still have people saying "Mya" for our DD whose name is "Mia"), we thought we'd explore other spellings for Isla.

Do you prefer one over the other?

How do you want it to be pronounced.  For Isla, I would probably say "ees-la" and for Aila, I would probably say "eye-la".  But, then again, I am not familiar with either name, so maybe that's why I am pronouncing them wrong.  Both cute names though!

MrsMucker

I don't like Isla to begin with, and Aila is just made up.  Maybe pick another name, or put up with the mispronunciation.

And Ketch

Definitely Isla.  I think people may recognize it from actress Isla Fisher, most that Aila, which I would pronounce Ay-la.

barnwife

OctoberCAPA:

I would say Isla like the beginning of island and Aila like ay-la. 

That said, Isla is pronounced ees-la in Spanish.  So if people say it that way, they aren't necessarily "butchering" the name.  I also know people who pronounce Mia "My-uh" and vice-versa.  

Ditto. Normally, I would say Aila like ay-la (long a sound). Before I even read this post though, I assumed you wanted it to be I-la (long I sound) because of the title. If it hadn't been next to Isla  though, I would have said ay-la.

GL!

mgra328

i think either would be fine.  actress isla fishers popularity may work in your favor with that spelling.

LaylaKon

To me I and A do not make the same sound. 

I don't think Isla would be mispronounced that often (how often is Island mispronounced).

Defiantly go with Isla... Aila looks like a different name. 

PearlPink

if it weren't for this board I would have misspronounced both names. If you want people to know without having to correct them I think you will need a more straight forward name.

sunnyday016

PhilsWife07:

IMO, the odds are pretty high that both of those names will be routinely mispronounced.

Yep. 

carolinah

I pronounced it this way as well. I prefer Isla...so cute!

secuccaro

jessawakawaii:

I prefer Isla. I know you didn't ask for opinions regarding this, but Isla seems a little close to Mia for me personally. 

I agree.  And I also think that this name is uncommon enough to be pronounced incorrectly most of the time.

k8edge

I prefer Isla. I do think you're going to have to get used to pronouncing it for people in the beginning.    But I think it's a beautiful name!

 

 

sara1817

I prefer Isla, when I first saw Aila, I thought it said Ah leah. So I don't know that it would help prevent confusion. The nice thing about the name is once someone sees and hears the name it's hard to forget it. I always think to myself, Isla like Island. How many people say iss land?

ashleyann82

Isla

K2thaT

Not a fan of either, but I would go with Isla over the other one.

btw in Spanish it?s pronounced Eez-lah not Ize-lah. 

pinkflipflops44

Isla or even Ayla before Aila