So my partner and I love the name [name]Rosalia[/name] but I’m finding conflicting opinions around the web on how it should be pronounced, and also its origin.
Instinctively I say ro-ZAH-lee-uh and I think the same goes for most people who speak English as their first language, but I believe the correct pronounciation in Spanish and Italian speaking countries is rosa-[name]LEE[/name]-uh, emphasis on the lee.
What would you say instinctively on reading the name? Which pronounciation do you prefer? (I like both!) Would it sound strange to here a British (or American, but I’m British) person say it rosa-[name]LEE[/name]-uh? Or on the other hand to you think that rosa-[name]LEE[/name]-uh is correct and therefore should be used?
Also nameberry lists it as Spanish after the name of a ceremonial practice, but behindthename says its Italian after the name of a Sicilian saint. Anyone know any more about this? Maybe both origins are correct.
Next, I did mention this on another post but it kind of got lost in the middle of a discussion about something else, so thought I’d ask again. I love the nn [name]Romy[/name] but really preferred [name]Rosalia[/name] over names like [name]Ramona[/name], [name]Romilly[/name], [name]Rosemary[/name], [name]Rosamund[/name] etc so came up with the idea of using [name]Rosalia[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Catrin[/name] as the full combo and then using the nn [name]Romy[/name] from the [name]Ro[/name] in [name]Rosalia[/name] and my in [name]Mary[/name].
Does anyone think this could work or is it too much of a stretch? [name]Mary[/name] has lots of personal meaning too and there’s a good chance I would have used it anyway (my [name]MIL[/name] is [name]Marilyn[/name] and my two great-grandmothers were [name]Mary[/name] and [name]Catherine[/name], so I’d be using both their names).
And then I’d just like some general opinions on the combo as a whole! Does it sound good/bad/ok with a sister [name]Claudie[/name] [name]Sapphira[/name] [name]Lynn[/name] (this is the only other full name we’ve come up with after long discussion with the berries! I’m not expecting just sort of planning for the future and name crazy!)
I absolutely love [name]Rosalia[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Catrin[/name], and I definitely think [name]Romy[/name] can work for her nickname. This is coming from someone who’s name is [name]Lauren[/name] but is called [name]Birdie[/name] by her parents - apparently anything goes, huh? [name]Rosalia[/name] is a beautiful name, perhaps one of my favorite [name]Rose[/name] forms along with [name]Rosanna[/name] and [name]Rosalind[/name]. I can definitely see it pronounced both ways. Upon first glance, I’m more likely to say roh-ZAY-lee-uh, like you, but I could envision myself saying roh-zah-[name]LEE[/name]-uh just as easily. I like the flow of roh-ZAY-lee-uh [name]Mary[/name] [name]Catrin[/name] more, though, but just by a smidgen.
As for history, I don’t really know. I’ve seen that it’s a variant on [name]Rosalie[/name], which is a variant on [name]Rose[/name]. I’ve seen that it is a Latin name primarily used in Spanish, Italian, and English. I’ve seen the story of the Sicilian saint. I’ve seen that “rosalia” was the name of a religious ceremony in which roses were placed on tombs in remembrance of the dead. I’ve seen that the name has a literary connection (yes!) to [name]Oscar[/name] Wilde’s ‘Lady Windermere’s [name]Fan[/name].’
[name]Claudie[/name] [name]Sapphira[/name] [name]Lynn[/name] and [name]Rosalia[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Catrin[/name]? Sure, those could work together! But, I just love your [name]Rosalia[/name] combination so, so much. Use it!
[name]Rosalia[/name] is lovely! I instinctively pronounced it ‘ro-ZAH-lia’ at first, but then I found out the real pronunciation, like [name]Rosalie[/name] with an A. Now I think that’s my default pronunciation. I like both, but I prefer the second one, I think. As far as etymology, Behind the Name is almost always accurate, so that’s the one I would go by.
I definitely think [name]Romy[/name] would work! [name]Rosalia[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Catrin[/name] is gorgeous. [name]Rosalia[/name] and [name]Claudie[/name] are kind of a contrast origin-wise (French vs. Spanish/Italian) and I might think a [name]Rosalia[/name]'s background was Spanish or Italian, but I think it works, especially with the nickname [name]Romy[/name]-- [name]Romy[/name] and [name]Claudie[/name].
I am an English-speaker, and I say [name]Rosa[/name]-leah. I think with the Twilight bump for [name]Rosalie[/name] ([name]Rosa[/name]-lee) more people will be familiar with the name and say [name]Rosa[/name]-leah.
Well, my first instinct is to pronounce this [name]Rosa[/name]-[name]LEE[/name]-uh, but I think that might be in part because I live in an area in the U.S. with a dense Hispanic and Italian population, and I have heard the name used mostly among people of those descents who therefore pronounce it that way. I do think both pronunciations are very pretty, but in my mind [name]Rosa[/name]-[name]LEE[/name]-uh sounds more name-y, while [name]Ro[/name]-ZAY-lia sounds more like just the flower (again, though, I think this is in large part because I am more familiar with [name]Rosa[/name]-[name]LEE[/name]-uh as a name and with [name]Ro[/name]-ZAY-lia only as the flower).
That said, I’m wondering if perhaps it might make sense if you want the name pronounced like the flower to spell it like the flower - Rozalea. Looking at it phonetically, I suppose people could still get [name]Rosa[/name]-[name]LEE[/name]-uh from the Rozalea spelling, but to me it’s much more intuitive that Rozalea is [name]Ro[/name]-ZAY-lia.
Hmm that’s interesting! I thought more people would say ro-ZAH-lee-uh. Like I said I love both pronounciations but ro-ZAH-lee-uh probably comes more naturally because I’ve been saying it more in my head, but I could just as easily get used to rosa-[name]LEE[/name]-uh.
Basically I would like to choose the pronounciation that’s likely to cause the least problems in her life, though no doubt, whichever I choose I’ll feel like more people say it the other way! The main pro of picking rosa-[name]LEE[/name]-uh is that I have the fact it’s “correct” on my side if anyone ever argues with me! Hehe.
[name]Lemon[/name] - I’m so glad you like the combo! Your real of approval means a lot Oh and [name]Birdie[/name] is so cute! I’m still open to changing [name]Claudie[/name] [name]Sapphira[/name] [name]Lynn[/name] but all the names have a lot of personal meaning. [name]Claudie[/name] will definitely be staying. We love it and love that it’s the French version of [name]Claudia[/name], and my partner’s kate grandmother was [name]Gladys[/name], the Welsh version of [name]Claudia[/name].
[name]Lynn[/name] would most likely be staying because it is both Welsh (I want every combo to have at least 1 Welsh name) and also my mum’s name is [name]Lyn[/name], my sister is [name]Caitlyn[/name] and my [name]MIL[/name] is [name]Marilyn[/name] so it honours 3 people!
[name]Sapphira[/name] is open to being changed. I chose it because it’s the birthstone for [name]September[/name], my partners month of birth, and also for Virgo’s which was my late grandmothers star sign, and because I have a [name]Sapphire[/name] engagement ring. I really really want to honour my grandmother but I’m not keen on using her name [name]Shirley[/name], plus it really doesn’t go with [name]Claudie[/name]! I’ve considered [name]Lydia[/name] because it was a name she loved but [name]Lydia[/name] [name]Lynn[/name]'s a bit much in my opinion, and I’ve considered [name]Augusta[/name] but I think maybe it sounds a bit frumpy.
I cant think how else to honour her! I’m open to suggestions though that might go better with [name]Rosalia[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Catrin[/name]
