Hellobee Boards Topic: Very unusual name

Hellobee Boards Topic: Very unusual name https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:05:34 +0000 SugarplumsMom on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-2003746 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:32:53 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2003746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: After you explained that it sounds like lyric, I think I get how it's pronounced! It's really pretty! Is it Ee-lee-ria? Hoots on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-2003732 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:22:50 +0000 Hoots 2003732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ The name sounds really pretty, but I think it will be much easier if you use the Elyria spelling. It also seems like it would alleviate most of the concerns other people have brought up. MrsBananaGrabber on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-2003592 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 07:05:57 +0000 MrsBananaGrabber 2003592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My mom teaches in Detroit public schools, so every year she gets much stranger names than that. Once you know a person, you hear a name and associate it with that person's personality, not whatever your first impression was. That said, I would advise against going with that name unless you really love it and are confident in it. It's not just you who will constantly have to correct people and explain the name- your daughter will have to do that for the rest of her life. Teachers, other students, coworkers, pretty much everyone she meets will at least need the name repeated and either spelled (if they hear it) or pronounced (if they read it). If she doesn't have a nickname that she uses, other people will give her one to avoid saying the full name. It may put her at a disadvantage in finding a job, as employers tend to gravitate towards familiar names. If you want to name her that, at the least you need to be sure that you have enough confidence in the name such that you'll instill that confidence in her, since she's the one who will need it. erinpye on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-2003560 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:45:23 +0000 erinpye 2003560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I don't know how to put this delicately- it sounds like an illness to me. What about something also melodic-sounding, like Aria? jedeve on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-2003556 Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:32:48 +0000 jedeve 2003556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ What about Oswin? :silly: I knew a girl at summer camp named Trillium. So it was obvious her parents were sci fi nerds but that was all the thought I gave to her name. anonysquire on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997416 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 18:28:05 +0000 anonysquire 1997416@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: From my experience, you gotta name the baby what YOU want. Family will criticize, hellobee will criticize, friends will criticize, but at the end of the day it's your baby. And people start warming up to the name after birth! badwolf on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997337 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:31:44 +0000 badwolf 1997337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Anya: Spatula! Now that would be deserving of a swift kick in the butt! Anya on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997300 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 15:55:50 +0000 Anya 1997300@https://boards.hellobee.com/ FWIW when I saw the thread title, I thought the name was going to be Spatula or something. badwolf on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997279 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 15:32:31 +0000 badwolf 1997279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @katsupgirl: Haha it's nice to be missed! Illyria was a pretty badass character, that's definitely a plus :P JoyfulKiwi on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997277 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 15:31:52 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1997277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: I love the sound of it and don't think it's hard to pronounce, but I'd personally consider alternate spellings. Like others I'm visually thrown by the Ill (three vertical lines) and the phonics of "yr" not being a r-controlled sound. I think the unusual letter combinations (the ill, the yr) is highly likely to make people stumble or mispronounce often. I had a student one year named Ilario, so maybe spelled minus 1 "l" (Ilyria)? It's a beautiful sounding name and I have no qualms using nerd-related names (we're planning on a Rory from DW, too!). I do feel like any spelling is really going to be hard to read/spell so your child will have to deal with that. katsupgirl on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997269 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 15:10:07 +0000 katsupgirl 1997269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: was wondering where you went! I love it but I'm biased cause I love that character. "Bleat at me no longer!" The only problem I see is the constant correcting you and your child will have to do. You could give her a less exotic middle name that she could choose to go by later if she really didn't like it. My guess is that growing up in your home she'll probably like it too. :silly: lady baltimore on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997258 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 14:53:44 +0000 lady baltimore 1997258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think it's a beautiful name. I'm not fluent in Dr. Who, but I made the Shakespeare connection immediately - in fact, the last time we saw Twelfth Night, I think I brought this name up to my DH. There are worse places to look for naming inspiration than in the Bard's work. Like others have said, just make sure you're ready to own it. It's not *that* unusual - it has a lot of sounds in common with a lot of popular names, and it's super close to Ilaria (Italian version of Hilary), which I'm hearing more and more. I don't think you'd get any "ew, where did you come up with that!?" reactions, which you seem to be bracing for. More likely, it'd be "that's a pretty name. I've never heard it before - where's it from?" And then you can choose to offer as much or as little explanation as you want. mrsjyw on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997243 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 14:25:36 +0000 mrsjyw 1997243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I love the middle and ending, but not fond of the "ill"... That said, I think you should choose a name you love! PinkElephant on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997236 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 14:15:52 +0000 PinkElephant 1997236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Non-need here, so I don't get any of the character references. But I do think it'll get constantly mispronounced by kids and other parents alike. If this doesn't bug you, go for it. It's unusual, but not weird or offensive. I was trying to think if there were any negative associations/similar sounding words, and couldn't really think if any. The only one that popped into my head was "malaria", but even that's a bit of a stretch (as in it's not something kids would use to tease her). If you use it, you might want to come up with a good, succinct explanation of where the name came from - people are so mosey and are due to ask, haha :) Short answer: Go for it :) Snowdrop on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997207 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 13:57:04 +0000 Snowdrop 1997207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I like it. I would play up the ethnic influence side to it though as that is more timeless than a TV show. Torchwood on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997180 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 13:25:06 +0000 Torchwood 1997180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I like it! And I'm totally into nerdy names. Our daughter was River (Doctor Who and Firefly). We're considering for this one Apollo or Helo (Battlestar Galactica), Lily (Harry Potter), and something with the nickname Rory (Doctor Who). But very few people we know would get any of the references. spaniellove on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997170 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 13:13:12 +0000 spaniellove 1997170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think it's a pretty name! My only reservation is when I read it - it might be hard to make out the i's and l's. Baby Boy Mom on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997169 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 13:12:16 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 1997169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I tend to read slowly and carefully but to be honest the Ill part tripped me up both visually (three vertical lines) and then also in meaning. I do like the sound of it though so I might go with the E spelling. lady grey on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997154 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 13:05:40 +0000 lady grey 1997154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: If you like it, go for it. I think its a nice name! I grew up with an uncommon name and have always had to spell it for people, but that never bothered me. My mom picked my name and she loved it so it always felt special. Also I liked that I wasn't another Jennifer or Jessica in the 80's & 90's. (no offense to the jennifers & jessicas out there!) Anya on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997146 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:54:16 +0000 Anya 1997146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I like it, I like it even better with only one L, and to me it rhymes with Syria. FliegepilzHut on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997128 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:40:54 +0000 FliegepilzHut 1997128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think it's very pretty...but maybe better with one "L"? Also, is the first syllable more like "ill", "I'll" or "Elle"? I think the hard I or Elle sound best...in which case you might consider Elyria, as pp have suggested. Geeks FTW! :silly: littlebug on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997127 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:40:14 +0000 littlebug 1997127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think it's beautiful! And I personally prefer it spelled with an "I." With an "E," I'd be inclined to pronounce it "Ehl-lyr-ia" rather than "Il-lyr-ria." fairy on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997101 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:17:40 +0000 fairy 1997101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Super pretty, I like both spellings. My daughter is Luna and people always assume she is named after various characters lol but we just love the name! So I would say naming after characters has always been pretty common :) Reese on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997095 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:13:09 +0000 Reese 1997095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I like it as Elyria Mrs. Pen on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997089 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:06:53 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1997089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: I like it spelled Elyria, very pretty! Spelled that way I could pronounce it, but the other way I was having trouble. simplyfelicity on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997081 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:02:55 +0000 simplyfelicity 1997081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: I was really having trouble sounding it out in my head but @macintosh: @Greentea: made it make sense phonetically. If you love it, then you love it. :happy: Mrs. Jacks on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997080 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 12:01:51 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1997080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @badwolf: I think the main problem is that the first three letters say Ill, which is an initial negative connotation. My theory on weird is that to be successful it has to be easy and have no big bad nicknames or connotations. loveisstrange on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997077 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 11:58:26 +0000 loveisstrange 1997077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I'd take Illyria over Paisley any day. :silly: I think it's very pretty and melodic. I immediately thought of Game of Thrones (another nerdy reference!). badwolf on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997066 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 11:48:20 +0000 badwolf 1997066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ To those who were wondering about pronunciation, yes it sounds very much like Lyric. I thought my phonetic spelling was easier but I guess not :P @Macintosh, I'd also consider spelling it Elyria for easier pronunciation. @SimplyFelicity, I do love the name for the way it sounds, and probably would no matter where it came from. I also loved the show, but for me it's really about the sound of the name. @Loki, that is good advice. I do love the sound of it but tend to lack self-confidence. Certain members of my family tend to be very vocal in scoffing at things they don't approve of, and as the lifelong mediator it's hard to stand up for myself sometimes. I can be idealistic and sometimes it's hard to tell them off when they're being rude or judgy. As I'm thinking about it, I don't think the name itself or naming a character based partly from a TV reference is that unusual anymore. I also don't think that particular name is any weirder than some of the currently popular names, as evidenced below: <a href="http://www.babycenter.com/0_hottest-baby-name-trends-of-2014_10398837.bc" rel="nofollow">http://www.babycenter.com/0_hottest-baby-name-trends-of-2014_10398837.bc</a> Others that spring to mind that are either "made up" or borrowed from traditionally non-name sources include names like Paisley, Sage, Bexley, Bently...if these names can pass and be considered normal, maybe Illyria's not so weird. Truthfully, given how frequently these type of names show up nowadays, it'll probably be more the norm than unusual within another generation. Still open to more thoughts, however :) wonderstruck on "Very unusual name" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/very-unusual-name#post-1997063 Wed, 24 Dec 2014 11:46:02 +0000 wonderstruck 1997063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I would hate my parents if it was my name, sorry!