I need help, preferably from a native french speaker. I keep coming across the name [name]Maelys[/name], and I think it’s really pretty, but I’m unclear on the pronunciation- the most common one I’ve seen is MAH-eh-liss, but I’ve also seen mah-eh-LEEZE and may-[name]EL[/name]-liss. Which, if any, is right? And do you think it could ever work in the US?
My French friend says it “mae-leese” which I think it lovely. I think it would be difficult to have the name Ma”lys in the united states but I think it could work.
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I like the way it sounds but I am not sure I like the way it looks and would cause trouble in spelling and pronunciation issues.
I think in the U.S., this would be particularly confusing, and you would most likely end up with ‘Mail-iss’ or ‘[name]Male[/name]-iss’, since the ‘[name]Mael[/name]’ looks like the word ‘maelstorm’.
If you love the sound, you could break it up into names that sound similar but read more easily together – [name]Mae[/name] [name]Elise[/name] for example?
I think it’s beautiful written down but I wonder if you would have too many pronunciation questions. I think it would be 3 syllables or at least 2.5 - ma-eh-leese where the eh part is fast. Ma”l I know is two syllables in French. For may-leese (which is also a pretty sound), you could use [name]Melisse[/name]. But I think [name]Maelys[/name] is prettier in written form than [name]Melisse[/name]. I really like [name]Maelys[/name] but you’d have to be prepared to always spell and correct people - that may not bother you.
Thanks everybody!
I really like Ma”lys! I came across it the other day and though it was pretty. Although, if I was personally gonna use it, then I’d pronounce it may-liss. 
Sorry for jumping in a month later, but I just came across this name, and I really like it too! I love the “may-lees” pronunciation, but I worry that people in the US may confuse it with “malaise,” which wouldn’t be good. The “official” pronunciation (mah-ay-lees) may not be easy for most Americans to say. [name]Do[/name] you think “may-lee” would also be an acceptable pronunciation? In French, I guess that’d make it “maelis” (think [name]Fleur[/name] de lis instead of [name]Fleur[/name] de lys), but maybe in the US, it would be ok?
My family friend is French, and she named her daughter [name]Maelys[/name], and she pronounces it My-leeze.
I like the “My-leeze” pronunciation, but part of the reason I like “maelys” is for the “mae” – I had planned on using it as a middle name since it is both of my grandmothers’ middle name. But, then I saw [name]Maelys[/name], and thought it may be a good first name. Although it would still be spelled the same, even if pronounced “my-leeze,” I would like to try and keep “mae/may” in the pronunciation too.
Speaking of, I guess “mae” could work as a nickname for “maelys” – I do like the idea of having a unique name with a more common nickname.
I do really like the idea of [name]Mae[/name] as a nickname. It’s pretty adorable. But because of all the pronunciation issues, I don’t think it would ever be possible to use. I like the Mah-ay-leese pronunciation, but there’s no way it would ever work.
I’ve seen Maylise, which I didn’t realize until now must be an Anglicized spelling of this name. It makes which pronunciation you’re using obvious.
I think it could work. But I pronounce it “[name]May[/name]-liss”
You may also like [name]Maelle[/name] (pronounced MY-elle). I think it’s really pretty and the pronounciation is more obvious.
Today was the first time I [name]EVER[/name] heard this name on the Join the World’s Biggest Baby Name Game! | Nameberry! It really captured my attention with it’s beauty and quirk! Wonder if it could be a middle name contender for my [name]Nadia[/name]? I love old-fashioned names and I’ve been trying to dream up a “[name]Mae[/name]” or “[name]May[/name]” name. I love the [name]Spring[/name], and [name]May[/name] is when we were wed! Definitely will run this by DH…
Here is a prn, Pronunciations for maelys (from Maëlys to Maëlys de Araujo)
I go back and forth on this name, Maëlys is pretty downgrade or “beauf” in [name]France[/name], it’s not a name I would use but I dont mind it. I think you might have prn issues here but it might be considered stylish. IMO you need to use the tréma, if you really love if you should go for it just be prepared for prn issues.
Maëlys, Maël, Maëla, etc have nothing to do with May/Mae, they are relatively new french versions of the male Breton name Mael which means prince and great.
Im not a native speaker but I have a [name]Franco[/name]/American family, speak French fluently.
Maëlle is prn more like "mile’ it is not “MY elle”. http://www.forvo.com/word/maëlle/#fr I dont think this name would work in the states because of the prn.
[name]Edit[/name]: Im really bad at describing or understanding others phonetic prn so maybe we are talking about the same prn but explaining it differently? Im not sure but that’s why I include audio links when I can.
I’ve never heard/seen it, and thought it was [name]May[/name]-liss. Sorry 
I read the name and thought it was [name]Mae[/name]-liss (but thought of the word malice). Sorry to mention that, but it is what came to my mind.
emiliaj
I’m really beginning to dislike French names. They look so pretty but their unpronounceable. [name]Maelys[/name] is very pretty (I don’t know how to make that mark above the name). I’m reading it [name]Mae[/name] [name]Elise[/name] as a previous poster won’t, before I read that I was having trouble wrapping my head around the name.