How would you spell this name?

Girl Names
23

Thanks for all the opinions, ladies!

I figured I’d explain myself finally. :slight_smile: I’m in the process of potentially switching over to mainly going by a nn/introducing myself as such/etc. ([name]Ashley[/name] nn “lee-lah”), and I’m just trying to figure out which spelling works best. I’ve posted on two separate forums, and so far the tally is 19 for [name]Leela[/name], 11 for [name]Leila[/name], 8 for [name]Lela[/name], and 4 for [name]Lila[/name]. [name]Leelah[/name], [name]Lelah[/name], and [name]Leyla[/name] all got 1-2 votes each, but I think all the other spellings look much classier, so I’d be much more likely to go for them.

I had initially gone with [name]Lela[/name], as I figured it would be most likely to be said like lee-lah, but the few times I’ve asked people about it without offering a pronunciation, they’ve always asked, “Oh, like [name]Layla[/name]?” And as lovely as [name]Layla[/name] is, you can’t really get that from [name]Ashley[/name] [name]Marie[/name], and I don’t plan on changing my name legally. Besides, while I think [name]Lela[/name] is pretty, I am not sure the way [name]Lela[/name] ‘looks’ exactly fits me, I’m not sure how to explain that. I have always been drawn to the look of [name]Leila[/name] and [name]Lila[/name], but I’m not sure I could school myself into thinking ‘lee-lah’ rather than ‘lay-lah’ or ‘lie-lah’. And while [name]Leela[/name] is very straightforward, it looks more trendy than [name]Lela[/name], [name]Leila[/name], and [name]Lila[/name] look.

I think [name]Lila[/name] would probably be the most problematic, and the least likely to be said correctly, but I think the look and feel of [name]Lila[/name] fits me really well, I don’t know if any of this makes sense, haha. There’s little nuances to all of them, and I’d like something that’s classic, feminine, and suits me well. I’m just not sure which spelling does that, and if [name]Leela[/name] is too trendy.

24

I would pronounce [name]Lila[/name]/[name]Lilah[/name] as lie-luh, leila/leyla/laila as lay-luh. If you want that pronunciation, I would spell it [name]Leala[/name] or [name]Leela[/name]. I actually met a lee-luh spelled [name]Leala[/name].

25

[name]Lee[/name]-lah is [name]Leela[/name] to me.

[name]Lila[/name] is Lie-lah, while [name]Leila[/name], [name]Layla[/name] and [name]Laila[/name] are all [name]Lay[/name]-luh.

26

I’d spell it [name]Lela[/name].

27

[name]Lela[/name] as well.

28

I would spell it [name]Lela[/name] or [name]Leela[/name].

29

[name]Leela[/name] would be the most foolproof for me. I don’t like the look of it quite as much as others, but I can’t really think of a way to mispronounce it.
[name]Lela[/name] a close second but leaves some more questions.

[name]Leila[/name] I’d pronounce lay-luh and [name]Lila[/name] lie-luh. With [name]AshLEY[/name] clearly the most intuitive way would be [name]Leyla[/name], but again, I think you’ll get lay-luh :confused:

(Let the Starbucks pronunciation tests continue!)

30

I agree.

I think you are drawn to [name]Lila[/name] because [name]Lila[/name] is so much simplier than [name]Leela[/name], [name]Leala[/name] or [name]Lela[/name]. It’s much more ‘classier’ then [name]Leela[/name], [name]Leala[/name] or [name]Lela[/name]. I see names [name]Lila[/name] and [name]Lola[/name] as names who are more common, more classical, more familiar… but also as universal names. I hope that makes sense.

If you choose not to use [name]Lila[/name], I suggest [name]Leala[/name]. Are you consider this?

31

I vote for [name]Leela[/name] (just like the character on Futurama).

32

[name]Lela[/name] = lee-lah (this spelling for the way you want to pronounce it. [name]Leela[/name] looks odd to me)
[name]Leila[/name]= lay-luh
[name]Lila[/name]= lie-luh

33

[name]Leila[/name], but that’s probably because I’ve known someone by that name and that’s how she spelled it.

34

I’d say [name]Lela[/name] or [name]Leela[/name].

35

[name]Ashley[/name], just realized a contestant on Americas Next Top Model this year is [name]Leila[/name] and pronounces it [name]Lee[/name]-lah.
(She kind of annoys me, but still, she says it [name]Lee[/name]-lah!)

36

I would go with [name]Leela[/name], [name]Lela[/name] or [name]Leila[/name].
While I think normally [name]Leila[/name] is pronounced [name]Lay[/name]-luh, I’ve also heard it pronounced [name]Lee[/name]-luh.

37

Not really, no. It’s been mentioned a few times, but I just can’t school my brain to hear “lee-lah” when I see [name]Leala[/name]–I invariably always say lee-[name]AH[/name]-lah instead. :confused:

So the count is up to 27 for [name]Leela[/name], 15 for [name]Leila[/name], 14 for [name]Lela[/name], and 6 for [name]Lila[/name]. I’m pretty sure [name]Lila[/name] is out because I think most would assume it is like [name]Lyla[/name], even though it could be said lee-lah. It’s rather obvious that [name]Leela[/name] makes most sense, but as a few both here and on the other forum that I posted on–[name]Leela[/name] is definitely not the prettiest looking option. I haven’t ruled it out yet, but I’m leaning in that direction. That leaves me with [name]Leila[/name] and [name]Lela[/name]. I find [name]Leila[/name] more aesthetically appealing, but I think there would be more pronunciation issues. Although most people seem to know a [name]Leila[/name] said “lee-lah”, so it might not be a huge issue. I don’t know…

38

As a child I was babysat by the most remarkable and lovely woman whose name was [name]Leala[/name], pronounced [name]Lee[/name]-la.

39

I like [name]Lela[/name]. The one person I knew with this name spelled it that way. I would never in a million years think to make [name]Lela[/name] prn [name]Layla[/name]. I mean if someone told me it was, I’d say “OK”, mostly because I speak Spanish and it’s plausible that way. But it’s still not how Spanish speakers spell the name.

I happen to really like the look of [name]Leyla[/name] and it’s closer to [name]Ashley[/name], and I would guess [name]Lee[/name]-la as a first guess for that one.

I also like [name]Leila[/name]. I might guess [name]Lay[/name]-la first for that one, but [name]Lee[/name]-la would hardly strike me as odd.

I don’t mind [name]Leela[/name]. But I’d pick [name]Lela[/name], [name]Leyla[/name], and [name]Leila[/name] (in that order) were I in your shoes.

I wonder [name]Ash[/name] if this is your new nn, how often you’ll need / want to write it? Like literally, not rhetorically. If you don’t plan to spell it / write it often then on some levels it doesn’t really matter. If you do plan to write/spell it often though (like if you’re signing things with it), it might matter more. But even then, you’ll mainly sign e-mails and stuff this way with people who know you, right? So they’ll know what you mean.

Good luck with this!

40

Thanks! As for how often I’ll need to/want to write it, I’m not sure! I was toying with writing [name]Leela[/name] last night, and it just felt so awkward, haha. I’m so used to starting my signature with an “A”, I love my signature, haha! My cursive "L"s are just too elementary school cursive, lol. It feels very odd, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it, if I go for it. I’m still trying to decide for sure–parts of me feel like I’m so happy being [name]Ashley[/name], that I really don’t need a nn, but another part of me feels like [name]Lela[/name]/[name]Leila[/name] is now a part of me, too, and I tried it out ordering take-out this weekend and it felt really right, so I’m toying with it more. If there was a way to ensure I’d be [name]Ashley[/name] as much as I would be [name]Lela[/name]/[name]Leila[/name], I think I’d take it, haha. We’ll see, I suppose.

I had thought about [name]Leyla[/name], since it makes more sense from my given name, but I can’t separate it from the [name]Layla[/name] sound. :confused: I think [name]Leila[/name] and [name]Layla[/name] look so much more attractive, too (and [name]Lela[/name]).

41

Oh I’m so glad to hear it went well for you ordering with it : D!!! [name]Lela[/name] and [name]Leila[/name] are both good options for spelling it. Good luck on your cursive Ls and figuring out your spelling!

I started researching “ash tree” in other languages. Turns out it’s fresno in Spanish (like the city!), frene in French, from Latin Fraxinus and…

the Meliae were ash nymphs in Greek culture! [name]Do[/name] you like [name]Melia[/name]? Plus it takes the M from [name]Marie[/name]. [name]Even[/name] if you don’t like it, I thought it was cool to learn that : D. If you have girls names looking for middles, [name]Melia[/name] might be a good one. Plus (if wikipedia is right), ash trees are related to olives and lilacs, which is nice with your [name]Olivia[/name] and [name]Liliana[/name].

In general there’s some fascinating reading. If it’s true, apparently the first man in Old Norse myth was formed from an ash tree?

42

Thanks! I’ve been writing [name]Lela[/name] when I write it down, and I think that’s probably the easiest spelling, but I’m starting to think more about [name]Leila[/name]. I’m not sure if either spelling really suits me more. Hmm.

I’m not a fan of [name]Melia[/name], no… But I love the Hawaiian [name]Malia[/name]! Although I felt weird about using it, since both [name]Marie[/name] and [name]Malia[/name] are forms of [name]Mary[/name], and I never wanted to honor myself. I don’t think [name]Malia[/name]/[name]Melia[/name] suits me at all, it would only be for a child, haha.

I do like the connection for [name]Olivia[/name] and [name]Liliana[/name] to ash trees, too!