How to get pronunciation uh-ray-uh?

^^ For a book. [name_f]Araya[/name_f]? Arrayah? Maybe even Araia? (I’m just worries that last one would read as uh-ry-uh.) Something that would work in a fantasy. MN wpuld be [name_f]Hope[/name_f] & LN Enlite. (Yes, I know it’s cheesy! :joy:)

I think [name_f]Araya[/name_f] is the most obvious one, though I could see it being pronounced uh-ray-yah instead. Areia is another option, but it might get mistaken for [name_f]Aria[/name_f].

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Araya would be uh-ry-uh for me but I wouldn’t be surprised about ray-uh. Everyone I’ve known with -aya names said it eye-uh so that’s my default.

Arrayah would definitely be uh-ry-uh.

Not sure on Araia? All other -aia names are eye-uh to me as well but I’d have to read it separately to know for sure.

Areia or Arreia came to mind. Honestly, if someone told me any of these spellings were uh-ray-uh, I wouldn’t be surprised. If you’d be able to have the character say their name to someone and show the pronunciation, or if you had a pronunciation guide, it would be fine.

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Araya and Araia would be uh-ry-uh for me too—especially Araia, for which my only comparisons are [name_f]Gaia[/name_f], [name_f]Maia[/name_f] and [name_f]Kaia[/name_f].

Arrayah…maybe, since it has the word “array” in it? But I’d still probably go uh-ry-uh first.

I think Areya might work, or possibly Areia, as suggested. I would probably pronounce these uh-ray-uh instinctively (given the similarity to [name_f]Leia[/name_f], [name_u]Rey[/name_u], [name_f]Reyna[/name_f], etc.). But I agree with @SparkleNinja18 that you can always build the pronunciation into the story somehow (or provide a guide).

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I would suggest Areya.

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Araya seems most intuitive, although it can get uh-ry-uh. I second Areya.

Maybe Aureya? I feel like without the u I want to say the are-ay-ah. Auraya would also work.

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^ I like this suggestion of Aureya. I was onboard with Areya until I saw this suggestion. Adding the U turns the emphasis away from the first syllable, sounding instead more like [name_f]Aurora[/name_f] or [name_f]Aurelia[/name_f]. And definitely the E in the middle rather than the A gets you that “ray” rather than the “rye” sound.

Also, re-reading to find out your intended middle and last name, I think anything that strays you further from just looking like “a ray of” will work to your benefit in combating the cheesiness :wink:

I vote Aureya.

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Araya
Arraia
Arreya

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I think Araea works nicely. It’s like [name_f]Astraea[/name_f].

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