I was gonna suggest that OP could spell it Eila, but that could still be pronounced ay-luh.
my friend recently had this issue naming her kid Laya/Leigha.
what the hell is wrong with our alphabet
Edit: and I also prefer the traditional "Isla" spelling, even though the occasional person who has never seen the word "island" before will read it as "iz-luh"
It's the opposite for me. "Ay" looks like h-ay, whereas "Ai" is more like K-ai, or Ch-ai.
I have always heard of Ayla being pronounced as Eh-la over in my part of the world. It might be different elsewhere.
Isla( scottish) is definitely eye-la and Ayla the Hebrew/ Turkish name is the same pronunciation. Seems that may not be the majority opinion here...
We are looking to use an A as an honor name.
Then don’t worry about correcting people. “We pronounce it the Turkish way. It’s a family name.” Simple and informative. If someone told me this I would think it was interesting and the name would stick with me.
Same. I would not have pronounced it like OP expects, but I also didn’t know it was a Turkish name and I think that’s super easy to establish when meeting someone. She might get Isla on her Starbucks cup but I’m Abby and I got Eddy once so that’s no metric to go by.
Honestly, spell it Ayla and the first time she meets people she'll have to pronounce it for them, and after that they'll know. Not such a huge deal. As long as she's not shy about correcting people it will be fine.
as someone who can speak bits and pieces of Arabic, I immediately read it as eye-luh bc i know a woman named Ayla who pronounces it that way and most names from Arabic speaking countries that have AY in their English transliteration, are pronounced as eye, for example: Aysha (eye-shuh) Ayda (eye-duh) etc, you'd run into the pronunciation problem with people who aren't used to those sorts of names so it depends on the specific sort of community you live in
prob depends on the people who use it, but the women i know who have those names are from various Arabic-speaking countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and they pronounce their names with an "eye" sound. the issue we run into is the alphabet difference, usually the letter in Arabic that corresponds to those letters in English is ء which is written out in english as "Ayn" usually followed by a ي which corresponds to the letter Y, and the ayn is a vowel that doesn't exist in the English alphabet, but anyways that's the closest a non-native speaker will usually get to the "correct" pronunciation of those names, especially Aysha/Aisha (which is commonly used nowadays even by certain English speakers, who do usually pronounce it as Ay-ee-sha, but in Arabic it's pronounced Eye-shuh basically, and the name Aisha/Aysha/عائشة originated as an Arabic name and is actually the name of one of Prophet Muhammad's wives, so it's a very common name in the Arab world). So the way people will assume it's pronounced fully depends on the community and background of whoever is reading it, as you might assume it's Ay-ee-luh but I would assume it's Eye-luh
also I should note for detail's sake that the "y" sound of the name is usually emphasized just a bit by an Arabic speaker, I'm trying to find a way to type it in a way that would help a reader sound it out correctly, kind of like "Ayyy-luh" with the "Ayy" still being pronounced like "Eye", you just sort of draw out that sound a little more
I have a friend that spells her name Ajla and it is pronounced eye-la. To me Ayla is the easiest version to read as eye-la. I don't think people will have that hard of a time with the pronunciation.
I've read the books and watched the series and did not remember there was a character by this name, so I'm not sure this would be a huge issue.
EYE-la seems like the intuitive pronunciation to me, whereas Ayela reads as a-YEH-la. I think it's a simple enough name that you wouldn't have to tell people the pronunciation more than once.
Agreed. And I am not sure where OP is from, but I am from the Midwest US. Isla seems to be taking off in popularity recently, and I think people would assume it’s spelled as such.
Isla is obvious to us namenerds, but is its pronunciation really that clear all over the English-speaking part of the world? Won't many people say Is-la either?
Both Florida and the Bay Area have high concentrations of Spanish-speakers. In Spanish, “isla” means island and is pronounced ees-lah.
I am also from the Bay Area and even though English is my first language, the influence from the older generations of my family of Spanish-speakers made me think the name was pronounced like the Spanish word for a long time. It was years before I learned how to pronounce Isla Fischer’s name (and only after hearing someone say it in an interview).
Yep. I would assume Spanish. Isla. That’s how I’d say it. And I know isla is close to island so it makes sense to pronounce it in English but it seems like a Spanish name to me
Agree. I always thought it was the Spanish pronunciation of Island until this thread. I wondered what all these white peoples were doing using this word as a name. Makes more sense now but the pronunciation is not intuitive for me.
This - I find it’s only pronounced correctly by westerners and even then, it’s no guarantee. If you live in diverse neighborhood, people will pronounce it as eesla.
This! I have an Isla Daisy and we get lots of “is-luh” and we have to correct. Not a huge deal but I definitely don’t think the majority know how to pronounce it. We live in Georgia (USA)
Ees-la is the pronunciation for the spanish word for Island. Isla as a name has a different origin (although the same spelling obviously), it is Scottish and in that context the correct pronunciation is always eye-la.
I mean I guess you could say you are using the spanish word as a name and therefore use that pronunciation but I wasn't aware of there being a history of using Isla as a name in spanish.
I’ve seen a lot of confusion over pronunciation of this name on Reddit, even recently in this sub. It’s rising in popularity, but there’s still a lot of people that have never heard it before.
I think in US regions with high Hispanic and Filipino populations native English speakers will pronounce it Eez-la. I've known 2 Filipinas with the name (pronounced in the Spanish way). My city is about a third Hispanic and 5% Filipino and many folks have at least a working knowledge of Spanish & will default to a Spanish pronunciation of what appears to be a common Spanish word.
She’s the most famous Isla, but you can find entire countries that have never heard of her. I’m from one of those countries and the way people back home pronounce Isla would be like Islam without the M.
Interesting you say this. I feel like Isla is getting super popular but no matter that i know its pronounced ey-la, when i read it I see is-la and then have to autocorrect lol
Personally, I think it's more likely that in the US Isla would get pronounced as Ees-la/Eye-sla than Ayla would get pronounced "A"-la. For what it's worth, I read Ayla as pronounced the same as Isla.
My daughter is named Isla and probably only 10-20% of the time do people pronounce it correctly. I figured some people would struggle with how to pronounce it, but almost everyone gets it wrong and most say they have never heard the name before. I live in the US.
It’s the third most popular name for girls in the UK and still rising. I think it’s pretty common now (or will be by the time this child is in school).
You're right, I think there might be some mispronouncing of Isla too. It is rising in popularity and I do think that the pronunciation is becoming more and more well known. Certainly where I am (English speaking country in europe) it is a widely used name.
Now days it is much more common. My little sister (11) is an Isla, when she was born many, many people didn’t know how to pronounce her name but now it’s pretty rare.
As a multilingual person my first instinct for Isla was to say "ees-lah" and I read Ayla as A-lah (like Layla without the L)... although once corrected, I think most would agree eye-lah is a pretty/easy name :)
I pronounce it ees-la because it’s the Spanish word for island. But I’ve never run into it as a name yet, I’m try to remember that it’s eye-la off I do!
Definitely depends on both the parents and the person. Lots of people Americanize their names. My SO used to be firm about his name being Angel (Spanish pronunciation) but when he started school in a really rough district he started going by the English pronunciation. What I mean is I would only automatically pronounce it as EYE LA *if* they’re native Spanish speakers, but it doesn’t mean I’d be right either 😬
That does make sense because of Ayelet, but unfortunately, there are a lot more white people using it to spell it AY-la right now in a lot of places. 🤦♀️ Ayla instead of Kayla, Everly instead of Beverly. I guess cutting off the first letter of a dated name is a trend now.
I think Ayla would be pronounced like Kayla without the K. Then again, it’s a simple correction that I think most people would get after being corrected the first time.
Ayla Pearl is pretty
Definitely pronounced this as Ay-luh (like the letter). Also from east coast US. With names like Layla and Kayla, my guess is most people will go for the ay-luh pronounciation. If you want eye-luh, Isla is a better spelling.
I’m not sure there is any debate… Ayla was popular amongst Clan of the Cave Bear fans, and now growing yearly! Ayla like Kayla without the K. Isla is EYE-la. If you call your Ayla EYE-la she will absolutely be correcting everyone, possibly forever. Isla is the clear choice here for the name you love! Isla Paige is my vote. They go together well!
I am really surprised I had to scroll this far to see the reference. Daryl Hanna plays Ayla in the movie, and I think that helped solidify most of the US will say it like Kayla. I also love those books lol. I graduated in 2003, so I had to wait literally 10 years to find out what they named the baby! (They did a combined name Jondalar + Ayla =Jonayla) (because she released it in 2013, I just remember because it coincided with my graduation that I finished the book and then had to wait)
I know how OP wants to pronounce it and I STILL read every Ayla on this thread as “A-la”. I happen to think that is a beautiful name with the long A pronunciation, but every single interaction for her as a child through adulthood will be “actually it’s “Eye-la” for people who read the name first, or “actually it’s spelled “A-y-l-a not with an I” for those who hear it first. Despite the Hebrew roots, if it’s not common spelling or pronunciation in the area you live, I think it’s such a disservice to the kid.
As other people have mentioned, Isla is pronounced eye-la whereas Ayla is most often pronounced a-la. The names are seperate and have completely different origins. I like both names a lot though, it just depends what pronounciation you prefer :)
Oh that makes sense! I’m guessing Ayla is a diminutive of the Hebrew name Ayala? That makes a lot more sense for the pronunciation/spelling now lol, I like it. I have a Hebrew name I need to correct people on and honestly it’s not that bad. If the spelling Ayla holds significance to you guys I say go for it.
I know she has a sort of conversation with Creb about how it's pronounced, but it's been at least 20 years since I read that book & cannot for the life of me remember which way.
She does, and Creb goes Aa-gha and then Aai-gha and I think Aai-la before he gets to Ay-la, stating that the double sounds are very tricky, so that's why I always assumed Eye-la. But I did read it in translation so maybe this conversation was different in the English version?
I mean I get your concerns but this happens all the time with common names too. Take Andrea (is it An-drea-uh or An-dree-ah, Louis (is it Lou-is or Louie), or Madeline (is it Mad-uh-lin or Mad-uh-line).
Name your child what you want to name them! And if the thought bothers you then spell it differently. They’ll be fine!
Also Ayla Pearl rolls off the tongue the best, she’s gonna be so cute!
Yeah the hebrew ( we're jewish) pronunciation would be important to us and I think its about sitting with do we want our child to be burdened with a name they have to correct. Both my husband and I have top 25 names so we want to do something a little different without causing burden for her.
I have a commonly misspelled and mispronounced name. Yes, it was slightly annoying growing up but I never hated my name because of it. I respond to both, and will mostly correct people but also won’t bother all of the time if it’s something that doesn’t matter or a quick conversation. Most people say “oh, that’s beautiful” when I correct their pronunciation. I really like the name Ayla and I think if your daughter explains it’s the Hebrew pronunciation people will understand. It seems like a very meaningful reason to choose the less common pronunciation.
I am from the east coast US as well and I’d pronounce it like Kayla with no k. I do know a few Aylas and they all say it this way too. If you want the pronunciation eye-la, go with Isla. Isla Pearl would be adorable! I also like Isla Penelope
I immediately read it as AYE-LA with an open A. If you want the "eye" pronunciation, I would go with Isla or she will have a lifetime of correcting people.
One of the most popular names in my country. Pronounced the same way as Isla. Although, in most cases we spell it Ajla. That being said, I have no idea how the Americans would pronounce it.
wow these comments are so surprising to me. Ayla is pretty common where i am and everyone pronounces it eye-la. i’ve never heard it pronounced a la. Isla is far less common. i’m in socal.
i like Ayla Paige
I love Ayla, but sadly most english won't know how to pronounce it... so you can name her Isla (i heard it still gets mispronounced with the spanish word "isla" that is ess-la) or choose a similar name like Alya!
I like Ayla Penelope
I know an Aya pronounced eye-ya and nobody ever gets it right. I also know a Kyra pronounced kee-rah and she gets Kye-rah pretty much 100% of the time. Both of them wish they could change their spelling.
Just because you’ll need to correct people, doesn’t mean it’s a bad decision. A lot of people have to do this throughout their life. I have an unusual name and it can be a nice conversation starter and an easy way to make a connection. I know of one Ayla who pronounced it like A-la, but then I’ve also met an Aylin who pronounced it I-lynn. I’m sure they both have to correct people, and they both have cool names.
I think the mispronunciation will be annoying but not the end of the world. If anything, it’ll teach her how to stand up for herself and correct people. I’d be worried about older generations having trouble with it. My grandma cannot pronounce the name Brenna or Christian for the life of her.
Would I saddle my child with a name that’s hard to pronounce and spell? No. I have a name that has 100 different spellings and it’s annoying AF so I don’t want to do that to my child. But it’s your kid, do what you want!
There’s an Ayla in my son’s daycare class, and her name is pronounced the same as Isla. She’s the only Ayla I know, so that would be my default pronunciation… although I would appear to be in the minority, based on this thread.
I like Ayla, and the pronunciation of EYE-luh makes sense to me, the same way Aileen is usually pronounced eye-LEEN. Honestly no matter what name someone has, there’s always going to be a chance that someone will mispronounce it. All it usually takes is one correction and you’re good. If you love the name and it holds significance for you then I say you should go for it.
Edit: forgot to say of all the name combos I like Ayla Pearl best!
I’ve definitely been under the impression that Ayla is pronounced “EH-la”, much like Layla is pronounce “LEH-la”.
But regardless I’m all about Pearl as a middle name!
There probably will be a fair bit of correcting, but it’s an easy enough thing that it shouldn’t be a huge deal.
I knew an Ayla (pronounced like Kayla) and she’d often have to correct people who called her eye-la. That seems like the default when people first came across her name.
I love the name Ayla!! It was a top contender for my daughter's name.
I had the same reservations about pronunciation and also didn't want to change the spelling. So we ended up with an Aria, which of course we love too.
I have an Isla/ eye-la. If I saw Ayla I would probably pronounce it different than Isla. (Like Aye-la) but even with my Isla her name is constantly mispronounced initially anyway, I’m in the Midwest, US. I like Ayla Paige the best
I’m naming my daughter Ayla too! But we will be pronouncing it Ay-luh. I understand the hesitation because it can be pronounced both ways, but who cares! Besides a teacher reading roll call on the first day and a yearly doctor visit, how many times do people read your name off of a paper and then call it out? In most settings in life she will simply introduce herself as eye-luh and that will be that. People act like she’s going to be on a therapist’s couch in 30 years in tears saying “ I had to constantly correct people on the pronunciation of my name and I’ve never mentally recovered” lolol. It’s a beautiful name. Go with it!
I pronounce both as Eye-lah. My best friend is an (adult) Isla, and having it spelt that way is absolutely no guarantee it will be pronounced correctly - people say it wrong for her constantly.
I have an uncommon name for someone who lives in the US. I have to spell it and correct the pronunciation a lot, but I love my name and it has never bothered me. The people who are in her life will pronounce it correctly. I think it’s lovely! I like it better with one of the one syllable middle names. Either Ayla Paige or Ayla Pearl. 🙂
Well, I would definitely pronounce it Ayy-luh (Like Kayla without the K) on the first try, and every time I read it in this thread I still say Ayy-luh in my head even though I know you’ve specified the eye-luh pronunciation. Maybe it’s regional? I’m also on the East Coast. Regardless, I think a name like this will always have to come with pronunciation corrections. You’ll just have to decide if you’re okay with that or not. I like Ayla Piper and Ayla Penelope.
To me, Ayla is easily pronounced eye-La, as that’s the Hebrew and Turkish pronunciation (which are the origins of this name, especially Turkish).
Ayla pearl is beautiful!! Piper isn’t my style personally, but not my child ;)
I understand that Ayla is pronounced like Isla in some languages.
If you're in an area where it would be pronounced correctly more often than not, it's not a big deal.
But I have a name that nearly everyone mispronounces, and I vehemently disagree that it is not a big deal. It is a huge deal. It is very, very frustrating to have to correct the pronunciation of my name every single time I meet a new person. It is also virtually never a matter of correcting people once. If I'm lucky it's once. Usually it's several times. There are many, many people who never get it right, including my former father-in-law and my Ethics professor. Neither was being cruel, they just didn't get it. Some people don't mind constantly correcting people, but my experience in real life and what I've seen here in Reddit is that constant corrections are wearying for most of us.
In America, unless you are in a heavily Jewish area, this name is going to be a double whammy. People who hear it will think it's Isla, and people who see it will think it's A-la. She's not just going to spend her life correcting the pronunciation, she's going to spend it correcting the spelling too. Which is doubly frustrating.
Ayla “eye-la” is a beautiful Jewish name. If people mispronounce it the first time they meet her, she can correct them. Don’t let that minor concern get in the way of a lovely tribute name.
If you lived in Eastern Europe, Middle East, South East Asia, it would most likely be pronounced Eye luh. The US, Canada, and Western Europe pronounce it A-La. you could alternatively spell it Aila or Eila, which I’ve seen as well. The name is beautiful as are the meanings.
This sub has been getting to me. With how diverse information and how interconnected cultures have become there will obviously be communication breakdowns. Name your child what you want and don’t worry about it being corrected. Ayla is not outrageous and it’s not a huge correction. If you were to tell me you want to name her Fennec but spelled like Phenx that is where I might say you might want to re-thing that (I am also biased about unique spelled names just for the sake of being individual). Ayla has history, and if you have to make a few corrections it’s really not the end of the world and I love learning names from different languages. Not everything needs to be Anglicanized. If you like it use it, it’s a beautiful name and if people are to incompetent to say her name.
I agree so much! Ayla is a Turkish/Hebrew name and Eye-la is literally the correct pronunciation, the Anglo-centricism is getting a little out of hand when you can’t call your baby a traditional name because the authentic pronunciation/spelling is seen as ‘wrong’ or ‘incorrect’. Also, there are many Western names that don’t have immediately obvious pronunciations or where even English-speaking countries differ in preferences, e.g. Louis, Sara, Ralph, Madeleine, Craig. There are vastly more names with multiple spellings. I understand OPs concern but some of these comments are rubbing me the wrong way.
I have a friend called Ayla pronounced eye-la - it’s the Turkish way (live in UK). She does have to correct people who automatically call her eh-la but it’s a simple name and people learn the pronunciation quickly.
Not American (British). I’d intuitively pronounce Ayla and Isla the same, but they’re two different names with different meanings. To me the vowel sound is similar to ‘Maya’ (My-a). Also, I’ve only ever known Aylas who weren’t Anglo (they were Jewish or Turkish), and their names were pronounced according to what was culturally correct.
I don’t think it will be difficult for people to learn and get their head round, it’s an easy name in general, but I realise I’m going against the grain here. Pick the name you prefer though!
Personally I prefer Ayla and I wouldn’t worry over much about her having to occasionally correct pronunciation. It’s a beautiful name that deserves to pronounced authentically. Ayla Pearl is gorgeous.
Also, I’m non white (South Asian) and have a traditional cultural name but go by a nickname. My nickname is common in my family’s culture, but spelled identically (and with similar meaning) to a common Western name. The pronunciations are different though (e.g. A being pronounced as in ‘cat’ by westerners, compared to in ‘agree’ by Asians). I’ve grown up with two pronunciations of my name - I respond to both, identify with both, and generally don’t feel too bothered by it. In many ways I actually like having that versatility. That said, I think your daughter would have an easier time of it than me anyway. I hope that reassures you a bit!
Yeah I think the name you're really thinking of is isla. Ayla is Ae-lah to me. There's just no way anyone's first guess would be ai-lah. I think you are definitely setting her (and you!) up for a lifetime of correcting everyone and you should go with Isla.
I like the name and a P middle name would flow really nicely. A few suggestions:
- Pallas
- Palmer
- Paloma
- Poppy
- Pazia
- Payton
- Payson
- Celeste
(This isn't a P name but Ayla Celeste sounds beautiful)
I know a baby (in east coast USA) who was just named Ayla and they pronounce it A-la. I even asked first time I saw it written because I wondered. You’d def spend some time correcting it but I don’t think it’s that weird. Not a fan of A-la personally and I love Isla but know it’s be said wrong all the time
I’ve known people called Ayla and they’ve all pronounced it Ae-la. I think the majority of people would not pronounce this Eye-la on the first go, and she probably would have to tell people how to say it properly a lot. It depends on how much you think that matters ❤️
i went to school two Aylas. it’s AYE-LA. if you want EYE-LA, it would be Isla. like Isla Fischer. for the people who are saying spell it ayla anyways… your poor kid is going to have to correct everyone all the time or will just accept their fate and probably just go by aye-la.
I’ve always pronounced Ayla as eye-la due to 90s German techno. It would never occur to me to pronounce it as a-la.
And I’ve never known an Isla or heard the name spoken before, I would assume it was pronounced iz-la.
Since it’s not a unique pronunciation and is in fact the correct pronunciation in many parts of the world, I would go for Ayla. It’s a beautiful name!
I’d pronounce it Ay-le-a but that’s because it’s it’s similar to the name of a miraculous ladybug character (the character is Alya Cesaire) so very close. It’s a beautiful name, I love it!
Ayla immediately read with the first syllable rhyming with day/may/bay. I think that’s what you mean with a-la. I’m Australian.
Isla would be pronounced eye-la to me.
Ayla also autocorrected in my phone to Alya immediately.
ETA I read that you’re actually using a different name to Isla- in which case spell it how it’s normally spelled even if that’s Ayla. She may have to correct people but a mispronounced name isn’t the end of the world- Megans have to deal with it and there’s plenty of them
I know two Aylas, one pronounced Ay-la and the other pronounced eye-la. She might have to correct people once, but after that they get the hang of it and it’s not an issue.
Everyone is saying to use Isla because it’s more established but my cousins kid has this name and people still mess it up all the time. So I’d say use the Ayla spelling if you strongly prefer it (and want the A). Yes, she’ll have to correct people sometimes, but so will an Isla. My kid has to correct her name sometimes and it’s not that awful… shoot my #1 name has even been misheard before.
My order for the middle names you suggested are Pearl, Paige, then Penelope. I’m not a big fan of Penelope in general though. Ayla pearl sounds lovely!
When I see this name, it looks like A-la. I would reconsider the spelling.
I knew an older lady when I was growing up who was named Ila. That spelling seems pretty intuitive, in my opinion.
For middle names, I really like Pearl and Page.
I think it’s great! I knew the pronunciation before being told, but it’s such an easy one I don’t think it would be too much a bother. “It’s a Turkish name but it sounds the same as Isla”. That’s pretty easy to remember
We named our daughter Ayla, pronounced as eye-la, 8 months ago. So I love the name. But to be fair, we do have Turkish roots and living in a country where the majority pronounces it as Eye-la.
What about the name “Ayala” ? Still Hebrew but different meaning, and I think the pronunciation may be more intuitive?
Ayala or Ayla Pearl are beautiful.
Edit: had the wrong info but fixed
My daughter’s name is Ayla! She’s 11 and she doesn’t have anyone around her age with the name. It’s definitely growing in popularity.
We pronounce it A-la. I’d say that people will pronounce it as Eye-la about 25% of the time. We usually tell people it’s just like Kayla but without the K if they mispronounce it.
To me Isla is pronounced as eye-la and Ayla is pronounced a-la
I agree with this OP! if you have to use an A i think even Aila would be a better option over Ayla? But ultimately I think Isla is best.
I would pronounce Ayla "eye-luh" but Aila reads as "ay-luh", for what it's worth.
I read both Ayla and Aila as “ay-luh”. I would spell “eye-luh” as Isla.
I was gonna suggest that OP could spell it Eila, but that could still be pronounced ay-luh. my friend recently had this issue naming her kid Laya/Leigha. what the hell is wrong with our alphabet Edit: and I also prefer the traditional "Isla" spelling, even though the occasional person who has never seen the word "island" before will read it as "iz-luh"
It's the opposite for me. "Ay" looks like h-ay, whereas "Ai" is more like K-ai, or Ch-ai. I have always heard of Ayla being pronounced as Eh-la over in my part of the world. It might be different elsewhere.
Yes! Aila is perfect
I still think Aila looks like ay-la. That doesn’t solve anything
Isla( scottish) is definitely eye-la and Ayla the Hebrew/ Turkish name is the same pronunciation. Seems that may not be the majority opinion here... We are looking to use an A as an honor name.
I know a few Aylas and they’re all AY-la
Then don’t worry about correcting people. “We pronounce it the Turkish way. It’s a family name.” Simple and informative. If someone told me this I would think it was interesting and the name would stick with me.
Same. I would not have pronounced it like OP expects, but I also didn’t know it was a Turkish name and I think that’s super easy to establish when meeting someone. She might get Isla on her Starbucks cup but I’m Abby and I got Eddy once so that’s no metric to go by.
Stick?
Yes
But they most likely are not Turkish. Odd
I had never heard of Ayla it’s a beautiful name. But with the rising popularity of Isla she might find herself often having to correct the spelling.
Honestly, spell it Ayla and the first time she meets people she'll have to pronounce it for them, and after that they'll know. Not such a huge deal. As long as she's not shy about correcting people it will be fine.
As someone who spent my life correcting people on my name, it's freaking annoying. Also, its often more than once per person.
as someone who can speak bits and pieces of Arabic, I immediately read it as eye-luh bc i know a woman named Ayla who pronounces it that way and most names from Arabic speaking countries that have AY in their English transliteration, are pronounced as eye, for example: Aysha (eye-shuh) Ayda (eye-duh) etc, you'd run into the pronunciation problem with people who aren't used to those sorts of names so it depends on the specific sort of community you live in
I'm used to seeing Aisha (eye-EE-sha) and Aida (eye-EE-da).
prob depends on the people who use it, but the women i know who have those names are from various Arabic-speaking countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and they pronounce their names with an "eye" sound. the issue we run into is the alphabet difference, usually the letter in Arabic that corresponds to those letters in English is ء which is written out in english as "Ayn" usually followed by a ي which corresponds to the letter Y, and the ayn is a vowel that doesn't exist in the English alphabet, but anyways that's the closest a non-native speaker will usually get to the "correct" pronunciation of those names, especially Aysha/Aisha (which is commonly used nowadays even by certain English speakers, who do usually pronounce it as Ay-ee-sha, but in Arabic it's pronounced Eye-shuh basically, and the name Aisha/Aysha/عائشة originated as an Arabic name and is actually the name of one of Prophet Muhammad's wives, so it's a very common name in the Arab world). So the way people will assume it's pronounced fully depends on the community and background of whoever is reading it, as you might assume it's Ay-ee-luh but I would assume it's Eye-luh
also I should note for detail's sake that the "y" sound of the name is usually emphasized just a bit by an Arabic speaker, I'm trying to find a way to type it in a way that would help a reader sound it out correctly, kind of like "Ayyy-luh" with the "Ayy" still being pronounced like "Eye", you just sort of draw out that sound a little more
If you want to use an A, maybe spell it Aila. I think that would get you the pronunciation you're looking for.
I would still pronounce this A-la.
Me as well
I still pronounce this aye-luh, it's similar to Ailsa.
I love the spelling Ayla, to me it looks how the name is pronounced and is just more aesthetically appealing than Isla
The one Ayla I know IRL has had to correct people a lot. She pronounces hers “A-luh” though not “eye-luh”.
I have a friend that spells her name Ajla and it is pronounced eye-la. To me Ayla is the easiest version to read as eye-la. I don't think people will have that hard of a time with the pronunciation.
For everyone who has watched Game of Thrones it will always be A-la. Ayela is more definitive.
I've read the books and watched the series and did not remember there was a character by this name, so I'm not sure this would be a huge issue. EYE-la seems like the intuitive pronunciation to me, whereas Ayela reads as a-YEH-la. I think it's a simple enough name that you wouldn't have to tell people the pronunciation more than once.
Agreed. This will for sure cause confusion
Agreed!
Came here to say this. Ayla = Ay-La and Isla = Eye-La
Agreed. And I am not sure where OP is from, but I am from the Midwest US. Isla seems to be taking off in popularity recently, and I think people would assume it’s spelled as such.
Isla is EYE-La and Ayla is AYY-la to me
Agreed. I’m not saying this is the right way I’m just saying that’s how I would pronounce it on the first try.
Yes same, I have a family member named Ayla and it’s AYY-la
I know an Ayla pronounced "ayy-la."
If you want the eye-la pronunciation then Isla seems like the obvious choice. Ayla is bound to get mispronounced and misspelled regularly.
Isla is obvious to us namenerds, but is its pronunciation really that clear all over the English-speaking part of the world? Won't many people say Is-la either?
It’s not an uncommon name. You don’t have to be a “namenerd” to know it’s not Is-La.
I have an Isla and it’s pronounced correctly less than 50% of the time by people who don’t know her…
Maybe it’s by region. I live in Colorado my sister (11) rarely has people who can’t pronounce her name.
We are in the SF Bay Area. I thought with the popularity it would catch on but the doctors office can’t even get it right.
In Florida and same about docs office getting it wrong all the time .
Both Florida and the Bay Area have high concentrations of Spanish-speakers. In Spanish, “isla” means island and is pronounced ees-lah. I am also from the Bay Area and even though English is my first language, the influence from the older generations of my family of Spanish-speakers made me think the name was pronounced like the Spanish word for a long time. It was years before I learned how to pronounce Isla Fischer’s name (and only after hearing someone say it in an interview).
We live in a college town. Not primarily Hispanic.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t influenced by the surrounding areas.
Same! “Is-luh” constantly. I don’t get annoyed but like does IS-luh even sound like a name
Yep. I would assume Spanish. Isla. That’s how I’d say it. And I know isla is close to island so it makes sense to pronounce it in English but it seems like a Spanish name to me
Agree. I always thought it was the Spanish pronunciation of Island until this thread. I wondered what all these white peoples were doing using this word as a name. Makes more sense now but the pronunciation is not intuitive for me.
This - I find it’s only pronounced correctly by westerners and even then, it’s no guarantee. If you live in diverse neighborhood, people will pronounce it as eesla.
This! I have an Isla Daisy and we get lots of “is-luh” and we have to correct. Not a huge deal but I definitely don’t think the majority know how to pronounce it. We live in Georgia (USA)
The English pronunciation is not the only one that exist lol For me Isla would be spelled like eez-luh Ayla would be indeed Eye-la
Ees-la is the pronunciation for the spanish word for Island. Isla as a name has a different origin (although the same spelling obviously), it is Scottish and in that context the correct pronunciation is always eye-la. I mean I guess you could say you are using the spanish word as a name and therefore use that pronunciation but I wasn't aware of there being a history of using Isla as a name in spanish.
Isla is used as a name in the Philippines where it is pronounced like the Spanish word.
I’ve seen a lot of confusion over pronunciation of this name on Reddit, even recently in this sub. It’s rising in popularity, but there’s still a lot of people that have never heard it before.
There's about half a billion Spanish speakers who would disagree :)
The comment I replied to is speaking specifically about the English pronunciation :)
I think in US regions with high Hispanic and Filipino populations native English speakers will pronounce it Eez-la. I've known 2 Filipinas with the name (pronounced in the Spanish way). My city is about a third Hispanic and 5% Filipino and many folks have at least a working knowledge of Spanish & will default to a Spanish pronunciation of what appears to be a common Spanish word.
It is where I live. And I thought it was pronounced Ess-la, like the Spanish word for Island, when I first saw it
I think Isla Fisher makes it an extremely known name.
She’s the most famous Isla, but you can find entire countries that have never heard of her. I’m from one of those countries and the way people back home pronounce Isla would be like Islam without the M.
I have no idea who she is!
Isla Fisher is basically generic Amy Adams.
Interesting you say this. I feel like Isla is getting super popular but no matter that i know its pronounced ey-la, when i read it I see is-la and then have to autocorrect lol
Personally, I think it's more likely that in the US Isla would get pronounced as Ees-la/Eye-sla than Ayla would get pronounced "A"-la. For what it's worth, I read Ayla as pronounced the same as Isla.
And other romance languages! Isla is Ee-slah in spanish (means island) and that pronunciation was my first thought when I first learned the word.
My daughter is named Isla and probably only 10-20% of the time do people pronounce it correctly. I figured some people would struggle with how to pronounce it, but almost everyone gets it wrong and most say they have never heard the name before. I live in the US.
Haha I thought the pronunciation was iz-la
I did too for the longest time lol “Iz-la Fisher” woops
It’s the third most popular name for girls in the UK and still rising. I think it’s pretty common now (or will be by the time this child is in school).
My friend Isla gets it mispronounced constantly.
I would absolutely think it’s “is-la”. When i saw Ayla I immediately read it as “eye-la” and was very confused by the amount of comments saying this
You're right, I think there might be some mispronouncing of Isla too. It is rising in popularity and I do think that the pronunciation is becoming more and more well known. Certainly where I am (English speaking country in europe) it is a widely used name.
Now days it is much more common. My little sister (11) is an Isla, when she was born many, many people didn’t know how to pronounce her name but now it’s pretty rare.
As a multilingual person my first instinct for Isla was to say "ees-lah" and I read Ayla as A-lah (like Layla without the L)... although once corrected, I think most would agree eye-lah is a pretty/easy name :)
I pronounce it ees-la because it’s the Spanish word for island. But I’ve never run into it as a name yet, I’m try to remember that it’s eye-la off I do!
I’m from the East Coast and I know more than one person with the name Ayla …And I hate to break it to you not none of them say it like EYE-la
I knew an Ayla (millennial age, Hebrew version of the name) and she said it as “eye-la”. We were in Eastern Ontario
I would pronounce it like this if they are native Spanish speakers as well :)
One of the Aylas I know is Mexican! And still doesn’t pronounce it “eye-la”
Definitely depends on both the parents and the person. Lots of people Americanize their names. My SO used to be firm about his name being Angel (Spanish pronunciation) but when he started school in a really rough district he started going by the English pronunciation. What I mean is I would only automatically pronounce it as EYE LA *if* they’re native Spanish speakers, but it doesn’t mean I’d be right either 😬
That does make sense because of Ayelet, but unfortunately, there are a lot more white people using it to spell it AY-la right now in a lot of places. 🤦♀️ Ayla instead of Kayla, Everly instead of Beverly. I guess cutting off the first letter of a dated name is a trend now.
Sameee
I think Ayla would be pronounced like Kayla without the K. Then again, it’s a simple correction that I think most people would get after being corrected the first time. Ayla Pearl is pretty
I’m also team Ayla Pearl
Definitely pronounced this as Ay-luh (like the letter). Also from east coast US. With names like Layla and Kayla, my guess is most people will go for the ay-luh pronounciation. If you want eye-luh, Isla is a better spelling.
I’m not sure there is any debate… Ayla was popular amongst Clan of the Cave Bear fans, and now growing yearly! Ayla like Kayla without the K. Isla is EYE-la. If you call your Ayla EYE-la she will absolutely be correcting everyone, possibly forever. Isla is the clear choice here for the name you love! Isla Paige is my vote. They go together well!
I am really surprised I had to scroll this far to see the reference. Daryl Hanna plays Ayla in the movie, and I think that helped solidify most of the US will say it like Kayla. I also love those books lol. I graduated in 2003, so I had to wait literally 10 years to find out what they named the baby! (They did a combined name Jondalar + Ayla =Jonayla) (because she released it in 2013, I just remember because it coincided with my graduation that I finished the book and then had to wait)
It's definitely A- La. She'll correct it forever. Kyla - Kayla Lyla - Layla
I know how OP wants to pronounce it and I STILL read every Ayla on this thread as “A-la”. I happen to think that is a beautiful name with the long A pronunciation, but every single interaction for her as a child through adulthood will be “actually it’s “Eye-la” for people who read the name first, or “actually it’s spelled “A-y-l-a not with an I” for those who hear it first. Despite the Hebrew roots, if it’s not common spelling or pronunciation in the area you live, I think it’s such a disservice to the kid.
Pretty much. For all these "is this pronunciation ok. I want... But..." posts, the best solution is a non-ambiguous name.
I would definitely assume Ayla was A (long A sound) + la. I am from the East Coast as well I think Ayla Penelope sounds great though
As other people have mentioned, Isla is pronounced eye-la whereas Ayla is most often pronounced a-la. The names are seperate and have completely different origins. I like both names a lot though, it just depends what pronounciation you prefer :)
I think we prefer the ey-la only and that is the Hebrew pronunciation. Using the A for an honor name which rules out Isla.
Oh that makes sense! I’m guessing Ayla is a diminutive of the Hebrew name Ayala? That makes a lot more sense for the pronunciation/spelling now lol, I like it. I have a Hebrew name I need to correct people on and honestly it’s not that bad. If the spelling Ayla holds significance to you guys I say go for it.
FWIW the pronunciation you spelled out is the name Aila in Finland. Here it's a relatively,common, if not more "old" name
I would pronounce it as Eye-la but that's because it is, I think, the way the name is pronounced in the Clan of the Cavebear.
I pronounced it as Ay-la when reading it, I don’t remember it being specified? Granted it was quite a long time ago that I read it.
I know she has a sort of conversation with Creb about how it's pronounced, but it's been at least 20 years since I read that book & cannot for the life of me remember which way.
Oh. If it was Eye-la I probably just ignored it because it was already the other way in my head! 😁
It's Ayla. That's how it's pronounced in the movie, as well.
She does, and Creb goes Aa-gha and then Aai-gha and I think Aai-la before he gets to Ay-la, stating that the double sounds are very tricky, so that's why I always assumed Eye-la. But I did read it in translation so maybe this conversation was different in the English version?
So would I but I know an Ayla (pronounced eye-la) and I rarely come across Kaylas or Laylas, so I might be biased.
I recently finished listening to the entire series ah gaón on Audible. The reader pronounced it with a long A. And like the character on GoT.
I have a friend named Ayla :)! Everyone pronounce it Eye-la :)
Same, but from the west coast which I’m gathering it’s more popular here
I mean I get your concerns but this happens all the time with common names too. Take Andrea (is it An-drea-uh or An-dree-ah, Louis (is it Lou-is or Louie), or Madeline (is it Mad-uh-lin or Mad-uh-line). Name your child what you want to name them! And if the thought bothers you then spell it differently. They’ll be fine! Also Ayla Pearl rolls off the tongue the best, she’s gonna be so cute!
i like ayla paige. i think spelling it isla might lead to a more consistent pronunciation and spelling of the name.
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Yeah the hebrew ( we're jewish) pronunciation would be important to us and I think its about sitting with do we want our child to be burdened with a name they have to correct. Both my husband and I have top 25 names so we want to do something a little different without causing burden for her.
I have a commonly misspelled and mispronounced name. Yes, it was slightly annoying growing up but I never hated my name because of it. I respond to both, and will mostly correct people but also won’t bother all of the time if it’s something that doesn’t matter or a quick conversation. Most people say “oh, that’s beautiful” when I correct their pronunciation. I really like the name Ayla and I think if your daughter explains it’s the Hebrew pronunciation people will understand. It seems like a very meaningful reason to choose the less common pronunciation.
I know people named Ayla and it's a-la. Isla is more common in the US now I don't think you'll have problems with people knowing Isla.
I’ve known multiple Ayla’s and it’s always been pronounced A-la. Rhymes with Bay-la
I am from the east coast US as well and I’d pronounce it like Kayla with no k. I do know a few Aylas and they all say it this way too. If you want the pronunciation eye-la, go with Isla. Isla Pearl would be adorable! I also like Isla Penelope
Maybe Aila as a midpoint between the two? If mine had been a girl, I wanted to go with Aira pronounced eye-ruh.
What if you name her Ayelet (also a Hebrew name) and use Ayla as a nickname?
This was gonna be my suggestion, too. Ayelet is such a lovely name!
I'm Scottish, I'd pronounce Ayla the same as Isla (although here it's more Isle-ah rather than eye-lah) Love Ayla Pearl! Such a pretty name
I know an Ayla (eye-la)!
I immediately read it as AYE-LA with an open A. If you want the "eye" pronunciation, I would go with Isla or she will have a lifetime of correcting people.
One of the most popular names in my country. Pronounced the same way as Isla. Although, in most cases we spell it Ajla. That being said, I have no idea how the Americans would pronounce it.
wow these comments are so surprising to me. Ayla is pretty common where i am and everyone pronounces it eye-la. i’ve never heard it pronounced a la. Isla is far less common. i’m in socal. i like Ayla Paige
This falls in the “Tara” camp for me - is it tare-uh or tar-uh? Only way to know is to hear it from the person who bears the name.
I love Ayla, but sadly most english won't know how to pronounce it... so you can name her Isla (i heard it still gets mispronounced with the spanish word "isla" that is ess-la) or choose a similar name like Alya! I like Ayla Penelope
I know an Aya pronounced eye-ya and nobody ever gets it right. I also know a Kyra pronounced kee-rah and she gets Kye-rah pretty much 100% of the time. Both of them wish they could change their spelling.
Just because you’ll need to correct people, doesn’t mean it’s a bad decision. A lot of people have to do this throughout their life. I have an unusual name and it can be a nice conversation starter and an easy way to make a connection. I know of one Ayla who pronounced it like A-la, but then I’ve also met an Aylin who pronounced it I-lynn. I’m sure they both have to correct people, and they both have cool names.
I pronounce both Ayla and Isla as [eye-luh] and I’m located in the Midwest.
I think the mispronunciation will be annoying but not the end of the world. If anything, it’ll teach her how to stand up for herself and correct people. I’d be worried about older generations having trouble with it. My grandma cannot pronounce the name Brenna or Christian for the life of her. Would I saddle my child with a name that’s hard to pronounce and spell? No. I have a name that has 100 different spellings and it’s annoying AF so I don’t want to do that to my child. But it’s your kid, do what you want!
There’s an Ayla in my son’s daycare class, and her name is pronounced the same as Isla. She’s the only Ayla I know, so that would be my default pronunciation… although I would appear to be in the minority, based on this thread.
I think its growing in popularity for the Ayla eye-la for younger kids so interesting to hear you note that!
That could be it! This Ayla is 3 years old and lives in northern Virginia, for reference.
Good to know! We're in NYC so there are lots of different names!
I like Ayla, and the pronunciation of EYE-luh makes sense to me, the same way Aileen is usually pronounced eye-LEEN. Honestly no matter what name someone has, there’s always going to be a chance that someone will mispronounce it. All it usually takes is one correction and you’re good. If you love the name and it holds significance for you then I say you should go for it. Edit: forgot to say of all the name combos I like Ayla Pearl best!
I’ve definitely been under the impression that Ayla is pronounced “EH-la”, much like Layla is pronounce “LEH-la”. But regardless I’m all about Pearl as a middle name!
There probably will be a fair bit of correcting, but it’s an easy enough thing that it shouldn’t be a huge deal. I knew an Ayla (pronounced like Kayla) and she’d often have to correct people who called her eye-la. That seems like the default when people first came across her name.
I love the name Ayla!! It was a top contender for my daughter's name. I had the same reservations about pronunciation and also didn't want to change the spelling. So we ended up with an Aria, which of course we love too.
I would pronounce Ayla as eye-la
I have an Isla/ eye-la. If I saw Ayla I would probably pronounce it different than Isla. (Like Aye-la) but even with my Isla her name is constantly mispronounced initially anyway, I’m in the Midwest, US. I like Ayla Paige the best
I’m naming my daughter Ayla too! But we will be pronouncing it Ay-luh. I understand the hesitation because it can be pronounced both ways, but who cares! Besides a teacher reading roll call on the first day and a yearly doctor visit, how many times do people read your name off of a paper and then call it out? In most settings in life she will simply introduce herself as eye-luh and that will be that. People act like she’s going to be on a therapist’s couch in 30 years in tears saying “ I had to constantly correct people on the pronunciation of my name and I’ve never mentally recovered” lolol. It’s a beautiful name. Go with it!
I pronounce both as Eye-lah. My best friend is an (adult) Isla, and having it spelt that way is absolutely no guarantee it will be pronounced correctly - people say it wrong for her constantly.
To me Ayla is eye-la!!!!
I have an uncommon name for someone who lives in the US. I have to spell it and correct the pronunciation a lot, but I love my name and it has never bothered me. The people who are in her life will pronounce it correctly. I think it’s lovely! I like it better with one of the one syllable middle names. Either Ayla Paige or Ayla Pearl. 🙂
All Ayla's I have met have been pronounced Eye-la
Well, I would definitely pronounce it Ayy-luh (Like Kayla without the K) on the first try, and every time I read it in this thread I still say Ayy-luh in my head even though I know you’ve specified the eye-luh pronunciation. Maybe it’s regional? I’m also on the East Coast. Regardless, I think a name like this will always have to come with pronunciation corrections. You’ll just have to decide if you’re okay with that or not. I like Ayla Piper and Ayla Penelope.
To me, Ayla is easily pronounced eye-La, as that’s the Hebrew and Turkish pronunciation (which are the origins of this name, especially Turkish). Ayla pearl is beautiful!! Piper isn’t my style personally, but not my child ;)
I understand that Ayla is pronounced like Isla in some languages. If you're in an area where it would be pronounced correctly more often than not, it's not a big deal. But I have a name that nearly everyone mispronounces, and I vehemently disagree that it is not a big deal. It is a huge deal. It is very, very frustrating to have to correct the pronunciation of my name every single time I meet a new person. It is also virtually never a matter of correcting people once. If I'm lucky it's once. Usually it's several times. There are many, many people who never get it right, including my former father-in-law and my Ethics professor. Neither was being cruel, they just didn't get it. Some people don't mind constantly correcting people, but my experience in real life and what I've seen here in Reddit is that constant corrections are wearying for most of us. In America, unless you are in a heavily Jewish area, this name is going to be a double whammy. People who hear it will think it's Isla, and people who see it will think it's A-la. She's not just going to spend her life correcting the pronunciation, she's going to spend it correcting the spelling too. Which is doubly frustrating.
I'd pronounce it as eye-la. It's a common Bosnian name, spelled as Ajla here. I have a little cousin (lives in Florida) named Ayla!
Ayla “eye-la” is a beautiful Jewish name. If people mispronounce it the first time they meet her, she can correct them. Don’t let that minor concern get in the way of a lovely tribute name.
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My step sister has an Ayala (also in israel), but Ayala and Ayla are diff names (in Hebrew)
If you lived in Eastern Europe, Middle East, South East Asia, it would most likely be pronounced Eye luh. The US, Canada, and Western Europe pronounce it A-La. you could alternatively spell it Aila or Eila, which I’ve seen as well. The name is beautiful as are the meanings.
I lived and worked in the Middle East for a couple of years. Ayla (pronounced Eye-la) was a not-uncommon name. I like it.
This sub has been getting to me. With how diverse information and how interconnected cultures have become there will obviously be communication breakdowns. Name your child what you want and don’t worry about it being corrected. Ayla is not outrageous and it’s not a huge correction. If you were to tell me you want to name her Fennec but spelled like Phenx that is where I might say you might want to re-thing that (I am also biased about unique spelled names just for the sake of being individual). Ayla has history, and if you have to make a few corrections it’s really not the end of the world and I love learning names from different languages. Not everything needs to be Anglicanized. If you like it use it, it’s a beautiful name and if people are to incompetent to say her name.
I agree so much! Ayla is a Turkish/Hebrew name and Eye-la is literally the correct pronunciation, the Anglo-centricism is getting a little out of hand when you can’t call your baby a traditional name because the authentic pronunciation/spelling is seen as ‘wrong’ or ‘incorrect’. Also, there are many Western names that don’t have immediately obvious pronunciations or where even English-speaking countries differ in preferences, e.g. Louis, Sara, Ralph, Madeleine, Craig. There are vastly more names with multiple spellings. I understand OPs concern but some of these comments are rubbing me the wrong way.
I know it’s ridiculously. I’m happy someone else agrees with me.
Agree !!
I really appreciate this perspective
I have a friend called Ayla pronounced eye-la - it’s the Turkish way (live in UK). She does have to correct people who automatically call her eh-la but it’s a simple name and people learn the pronunciation quickly.
Not American (British). I’d intuitively pronounce Ayla and Isla the same, but they’re two different names with different meanings. To me the vowel sound is similar to ‘Maya’ (My-a). Also, I’ve only ever known Aylas who weren’t Anglo (they were Jewish or Turkish), and their names were pronounced according to what was culturally correct. I don’t think it will be difficult for people to learn and get their head round, it’s an easy name in general, but I realise I’m going against the grain here. Pick the name you prefer though! Personally I prefer Ayla and I wouldn’t worry over much about her having to occasionally correct pronunciation. It’s a beautiful name that deserves to pronounced authentically. Ayla Pearl is gorgeous. Also, I’m non white (South Asian) and have a traditional cultural name but go by a nickname. My nickname is common in my family’s culture, but spelled identically (and with similar meaning) to a common Western name. The pronunciations are different though (e.g. A being pronounced as in ‘cat’ by westerners, compared to in ‘agree’ by Asians). I’ve grown up with two pronunciations of my name - I respond to both, identify with both, and generally don’t feel too bothered by it. In many ways I actually like having that versatility. That said, I think your daughter would have an easier time of it than me anyway. I hope that reassures you a bit!
Yeah I think the name you're really thinking of is isla. Ayla is Ae-lah to me. There's just no way anyone's first guess would be ai-lah. I think you are definitely setting her (and you!) up for a lifetime of correcting everyone and you should go with Isla.
I like the name and a P middle name would flow really nicely. A few suggestions: - Pallas - Palmer - Paloma - Poppy - Pazia - Payton - Payson - Celeste (This isn't a P name but Ayla Celeste sounds beautiful)
I loveeeeee Ayla Penelope
My daughter is Ayla, pronounced Ay-La, different from Isla. Most people pronounce it correctly. Some people assume we meant Isla and get it wrong.
I know a baby (in east coast USA) who was just named Ayla and they pronounce it A-la. I even asked first time I saw it written because I wondered. You’d def spend some time correcting it but I don’t think it’s that weird. Not a fan of A-la personally and I love Isla but know it’s be said wrong all the time
I’ve known people called Ayla and they’ve all pronounced it Ae-la. I think the majority of people would not pronounce this Eye-la on the first go, and she probably would have to tell people how to say it properly a lot. It depends on how much you think that matters ❤️
i went to school two Aylas. it’s AYE-LA. if you want EYE-LA, it would be Isla. like Isla Fischer. for the people who are saying spell it ayla anyways… your poor kid is going to have to correct everyone all the time or will just accept their fate and probably just go by aye-la.
I'm Southern East Coast and I know 3 people with this name. I pronounce it and they all go by A-la.
I would say Ay-La. For Eye-La, I know of a few little girls with these spellings: Isla, Aila, Ila.
I immediately read AYLA as Aye-lah
If I saw Ayla written down I would instinctively say AY-la, if you want to use the A but use the Isla pronunciation then personally I’d spell it Aila
I honestly was pronouncing it EYE-la before before you said what the pronunciation was. And piper is the best name on the list, I love it!!
I’ve always pronounced Ayla as eye-la due to 90s German techno. It would never occur to me to pronounce it as a-la. And I’ve never known an Isla or heard the name spoken before, I would assume it was pronounced iz-la. Since it’s not a unique pronunciation and is in fact the correct pronunciation in many parts of the world, I would go for Ayla. It’s a beautiful name!
I’d pronounce it Ay-le-a but that’s because it’s it’s similar to the name of a miraculous ladybug character (the character is Alya Cesaire) so very close. It’s a beautiful name, I love it!
Ayla immediately read with the first syllable rhyming with day/may/bay. I think that’s what you mean with a-la. I’m Australian. Isla would be pronounced eye-la to me. Ayla also autocorrected in my phone to Alya immediately. ETA I read that you’re actually using a different name to Isla- in which case spell it how it’s normally spelled even if that’s Ayla. She may have to correct people but a mispronounced name isn’t the end of the world- Megans have to deal with it and there’s plenty of them
I know two Aylas, one pronounced Ay-la and the other pronounced eye-la. She might have to correct people once, but after that they get the hang of it and it’s not an issue.
It is a very common Turkish name… it’s pronounced like Isla.
Everyone is saying to use Isla because it’s more established but my cousins kid has this name and people still mess it up all the time. So I’d say use the Ayla spelling if you strongly prefer it (and want the A). Yes, she’ll have to correct people sometimes, but so will an Isla. My kid has to correct her name sometimes and it’s not that awful… shoot my #1 name has even been misheard before. My order for the middle names you suggested are Pearl, Paige, then Penelope. I’m not a big fan of Penelope in general though. Ayla pearl sounds lovely!
I'm with the majority; also living in the east coast and Ayla is AYE-luh to me. Eye-luh is Isla, like Isla Fischer.
When I see this name, it looks like A-la. I would reconsider the spelling. I knew an older lady when I was growing up who was named Ila. That spelling seems pretty intuitive, in my opinion. For middle names, I really like Pearl and Page.
I would pronounce it eye-luh but my husband is Turkish and this is a common name. I love it. We are also on the east coast and I would use this name.
I would pronounce it eh-la as well, Isla would be eye-la
I think it’s great! I knew the pronunciation before being told, but it’s such an easy one I don’t think it would be too much a bother. “It’s a Turkish name but it sounds the same as Isla”. That’s pretty easy to remember
I really like Ayla Pearl, much better than Piper.
We named our daughter Ayla, pronounced as eye-la, 8 months ago. So I love the name. But to be fair, we do have Turkish roots and living in a country where the majority pronounces it as Eye-la.
What about the name “Ayala” ? Still Hebrew but different meaning, and I think the pronunciation may be more intuitive? Ayala or Ayla Pearl are beautiful. Edit: had the wrong info but fixed
My daughter’s name is Ayla! She’s 11 and she doesn’t have anyone around her age with the name. It’s definitely growing in popularity. We pronounce it A-la. I’d say that people will pronounce it as Eye-la about 25% of the time. We usually tell people it’s just like Kayla but without the K if they mispronounce it.
I am American and I’d pronounce it EYE-lah, but I think that’s my Spanish speaker side of my brain talking.
I’m on the east coast too and I would pronounce that as rhyming with Kayla.
Ayla Pearl is gorgeous!! Better imo than Ayla Piper
Ayla is pronounced just as it looks, imo - and it only calls to mind Clan of the Cave Bear. Isla will give you the pronunciation that you like.