Eilah.......it is a Hebrew name. It is pronounced eye-lah.
I really love the way it sounds but am not sure about the spelling. Ayla is a variation of it, but I think it would get pronounced wrong alot if we used that spelling.
I know Isla is the Scottish form of it, but I have no doubt that people would say it Is-lah in this area.
So what do you think?
Re: WDYT of this girl name?
I really like the name, but I agree with you about the spelling, you don't want your baby's name to always be mispronounced. I think Eilah is a good spelling. Isla is becoming more popular, due to the actress Isla Fischer (I think that's her last name),
My neice's name is Aili pronounced eye-lee, and everyone keeps mispronouncing it. Everyone wants to pronounce it with a long A. So I'm sure the same is true with Ayla.
Baking Blog
Make sure you are really ok with it being pronounced wrong basically everywhere you go.
I work at an airport and I see two types of people. We always ask for the last name and then confirm we have pulled up the right booking by saying "Cathy and Eilah?". and I would have pronounced Eilah as ee-lah.
Some people get very annoyed/angry and snap back how it should be pronounced. Inside, I am always thinking, get over it. You picked the unique name. You have to accept that people are going to get it wrong. Plus, I am never going to see you again. I can understand correcting her teacher or coach but why waste the energy getting angry at someone who is going to only say the name once? And you can tell that it is a major sore spot with them. (These are people who should have named their kid Evelyn, Charlotte, or Violet since they can't handle the name being said wrong).
Other people don't correct me even though I am pretty sure I mauled it. Others say something in a pleasant tone like, 'oh don't worry, no one ever gets it right - it is eye-lah' and we move on.
If you think it might really bug you over the long term to have it said wrong often, don't do it. You know yourself.
I think with Eilah you at least have a small chance of being being pronounced right once in a while now that I think about it the name Eileen. Some people might make the connection.
Ayla begs to be said as a-lah.
Ditto?
Angel Baby: 5/29/08
I would think the same thing about island and Isla. But, that isnt the case here. There is a street call Isla Ct, and something else call Isler, and everyone says Is-lah, or Is-ler.