So my boys name is [name_m]Elijah[/name_m]. I chose it as I thought its easy to say and it’s different enough in my area not to have lots of Elijahs in his class. But everyone keeps saying it wrong. It’s really getting to me. It’s pronounced E-lie-jah. So you pronounce the J as a J. But people keep saying it like it’s zhuh
[name_f]My[/name_f] name is always said wrong and it’s annoyed me my whole life and I don’t want that for him. Had anyone else had this issue and changed their child’s name?
I Thought about just calling him [name_u]Eli[/name_u] as in the UK I can’t register him yet anyway so I have time to change it if I want too before he is official.
Problem is also his last name is hard to pronounce too so everytime his name is called out its all completely wrong. Might not be a big deal to most but its really upsetting me. I don’t know what to do. How do you pronounce [name_m]Elijah[/name_m]?
I pronounce [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] ee-LIE-juh. [name_f]My[/name_f] brother hasn’t ever had any trouble with his name pronunciation - it might just be your area. [name_u]Elisha[/name_u] is ee-LIE-sha to me.
Eli would definitely be easier but it could also be a school/life nickname for [name_m]Elijah[/name_m], and then you could still call him by his full name too. I agree that it’s harder to change an older kids name and they might not even want to do it.
I pronounce [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] as you do: eh-LYE-jah. J like in “jam”.
However, I frequently hear people say eh-LYE-zhah. ZH like in “treasure”. I’m with you — I don’t like that pronunciation and it would bother me a little.
However, if [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] is the name you love best, I’d say go with it and just be prepared to correct people. You could always name him [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] and call him [name_u]Eli[/name_u] day-to-day, if you like both names. I also love [name_u]Eli[/name_u] on its own, or how about [name_u]Elias[/name_u]?
I pronounce it Eh-lie-juh. However, sometimes I don’t pronounce the hard j and it’s somewhere in between a j and s. Maybe I could describe it as Eh-lie-zhuh. I can say it either way. I like [name_u]Eli[/name_u] too! But, I think most people are also willing to change how they pronounce name, if you correct them.
I pronounce it as Eh-lie-zhuh. I don’t pronounce the j as a j. I live in the US btw. But I think as long as you correct people and tell them the way you want it pronounced then it will be fine. If you love the name, don’t change it!
I am so surprised that people in the U.K. are pronouncing [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] using a pronunciation that isn’t ee lie juh. I live on the outskirts of [name_u]London[/name_u] and have come across numerous [name_m]Elijah[/name_m]’s with this pronunciation & not one of them has encountered difficulty with the pronunciation and all have pronounced the name this way. Honestly I’m surprised anyways I would still use the name you love it’ll be shame to not use a name you love because of some individuals mispronouncing [name_m]Elijah[/name_m].
I say it Ee-lie-juh and that’s how most people I’ve met pronounce it. That said, I don’t think the two pronunciations are different enough to really worry about - just slightly different emphasis
I pronounce it Ee-lie-zhuh and I’ve never heard anyone in my life pronounce it differently. I’m honestly shocked by all of these ee-lie-juh replies. I’m in the US, though, so maybe that’s why?
Hmm. From reading the replies, it seems like E-lye-juh is the more common UK pronunciation, and E-lye-zhuh is the more American pronunciation. So, as an American, I pronounce the name differently than you. It sounds like some people in your area are using a more American pronunciation.
If it really bothers you, [name_u]Eli[/name_u] is a nice choice, but I don’t think it’s a big deal that some people use a different (also somewhat established) pronunciation from you. You can always allow him to go by [name_u]Eli[/name_u] at school or as a nickname and still use his full name. If you love the name, I think you can go with it!
I’m also shocked! I’ve only ever heard it pronounced ee-lie-zhuh like [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] [name_m]Wood[/name_m]. Must be American? I’m in NZ/Australia.
I would go easy on the people mispronouncing as it sounds like a common mistake. Maybe stick with [name_u]Eli[/name_u] while he’s at school and he can decide how to deal with it when he gets older?
How frustrating. I can understand this. [name_f]My[/name_f] son is [name_m]Alaric[/name_m] (A Luh [name_m]Rik[/name_m]) but the staff at his Kindergarten consistently say (A laaaah [name_m]Rik[/name_m]) like the awful pronunciation in Vampire Diaries. It makes me cringe every time I hear it. They have heard all the family say it properly and it isn’t like it is difficult phonetically. So I have to say that I don’t think everyone will accept phonetic correction . So if it bothers you, you might want to consider changing it
I pronounce the j of the last syllable like treasure, pleasure, measure. I do not pronounce it like [djuh] as in just or junk.
I live in US.
If you think you’ll find yourself constantly correcting people and it becoming a source of constant aggrivation, I would switch the name to just Eli or a close name like Elias or Ezra. If you can ignore the competing pronunciation, I’d keep it. Neither option is right or wrong, just what will make you happiest!
I’m in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] and I pronounce it Ee-lie-juh or Uh-lie-juh depending on how the person pronounces it. Some start with Ee sound, others with Ugh sound (like the letter E in [name_u]French[/name_u]).
Never heard E-leye-zhuh. That would bother me too!!
However I guess its subtle. If you love the name I wouldn’t change it. I guess there are just two different ways to pronounce this name though this is seriously news to me and I know several Elijahs and everyone says E-lie-jah.
I would just call him [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] and correct people around you, even though I know that’s kind of annoying. [name_u]Eli[/name_u] is a good nickname and you don’t have to change his nane to use [name_u]Eli[/name_u]!
Really? I’m in Australia too and have only ever heard it pronounced E - lie - juh !
@Mimimoo92 personally, I would be saying to people ‘actually we pronounce it this way, with a hard J’, because it sounds like plenty of people do use that pronunciation in the UK as well.
He’s only brand new, so hopefully people catch on once they hear his lovely name a bit more.
. So if it bothers you, you might want to consider changing it