Name Poll - HWYSI?

[LeeAndra]

Let's establish I'm a word nerd. Like BIG time. So I've had baby names picked out FOREVER, and it's super way important to me that the spelling is just right. Now that we know Peanut is a gurl... I have a spelling 'problem,' so to speak, that I need your help with. I'll understand if this is way too technical for you to be interested in and you pass up the poll. :)

The #1 contender at the moment is pronounced 'Suh-RAY-uh' and is a variant of Sarah which means 'princess of God.' We want to make sure we keep this meaning. Her middle name would be Belle (not up for discussion) which means 'beautiful'... and, hence, she would be 'beautiful princess of God.'

[Awww...]

Here is where I am stuck.

I was originally going to spell it Saraiah, but the more I look at, the more it looks like I'm too dumb to know how to spell Sarah or that I'm trying to be 'cute' by adding in extra letters that will still be pronounced Sarah. In addition, the root 'Sarai,' which is actually Sarah's original name in the Bible, is pronounced 'Suh-RYE' AND most people are familiar with the name Mariah, so I think it will be way too confusing to constantly correct people from pronouncing it 'Suh-RYE-uh.'

*lol* Thanks for sticking with me if you have made it this far!!

[I realize that people will still not know the name right away, but I purposely want it to be unique and original, so that's not an issue.]

How would YOU spell 'Suh-RAY-uh' then??

Saraya? Sarayeh? Stick with Saraiah? Is there another 'obvious' spelling I'm not thinking of?

Jeff and I have been calling her 'Suh-RAY-uh' for as long as I've been pg, so we're pretty settled with that name and pronunciation. I just need help with the spelling so regular non-weirdos like you ladies will think my baby's name is pretty and unique but without a totally off the wall psycho spelling.

THANKS!!

[iJenny]

Ok, my honest opinion....

Saraiah is waaaay too confusing. Too many vowels. lol

We have a Sarayah here at school. Its obvious to me, from the spelling that its not Sariyah. I don't know. I just think a "y" sorta breaks up the confusion of all the other vowels.

That said, its a beautiful name no matter how you spell it. :)

[krystalhartley]

I so get you!

I'd say Saraya would lead to the correct pronunciation more than Saraiah (which I would read as RYE for that middle syllable).

My only problem with Saraya is that I can't get Sanjaya out of my head...but I'm sure he won't be the cultural phenomenon (snicker) that he has been when your little princess starts school.

[alansrock]

Suh-RAY-uh

Suraya <---this one is the only one that makes sense to me based off of your pronunciation!

[switchwiz]

I'd say Saraya, cause that doesn't look that much like Sarah that it could be confused, plus I just look at that name and immediately say "Suh-Ray-uh" plus I like the word RAY in the name, (little RAY of sunshine-just an odd thought on my part), the 2nd spelling leaves me unsure of how the last part of the name would be pronounced and the 3rd does look like a complicated way to spell Sarah

[Paula]

Sorry, misread how you were going to pronounce it.

How about Sarayah

[crystalbella77]

I will be back to answer you ?'s, but I wanted to say that I am a total Name person and I LOVE these kinds of threads! :D :D :D

[Misty Cato]

Beautiful name! I vote Suraya.

[LibbysMommy]

Such a beautiful name!! I think spelling it Sarayah would make the most sense. But like Jenny said, it's beautiful no matter how you spell it!!

[scrapperjade]

I love the name!! Its beautiful! I think Saraya or Suraya is best. I don't like Saraiah. If I saw it I would have NO idea how to pronounce it! I don't like it spelled Sarayah either... to me it looks like it will be pronounced Sara-Yah...

[schock77]

I like all of the above suggestions- Saraya, Suraya, or Sarayah. I think it lovely and those spellings are less likely to be mispronounced.

I'm a teacher, so I see it all and as long as I have a basic idea of how to say it when I see it in writing I'm good.

What's funny is, once you pick one and start writing it, you can never see it any other way. My son Jaxon- everytime I see Jaxson or Jackson, it doesn't even seem that those mean the same as "Jaxon"- they look wrong to me. :) Congrats BTW!

[Stacey42]

I'd say Saraya or Suraya..though you might more of a SAR-ray-ah with Saraya.

At least you would around here. People love the broad A around here. :)

[MandaBean]

All I can think of is Psoriasis..LOL. Sorry LA. For these reasons alone, I say don't go the aiah route. Saraya or Suraya would be my picks.

[emmasmommy]

Gorgeous name...I think Saraya or Sarayah would be cute!

[Julie Billingsley]

I don't like it spelled Sarayah either... to me it looks like it will be pronounced Sara-Yah...
I agree!

Love the name! And I'm voting for Saraya :)

[Voodoo_Bryn]

I'd go with Saraya.
<3

[kscwgirl]

Dude. Just name her Sara. :p


Okay, I like Saraya too. :D

[newfiemountiewife]

I'd go with Saraya.
<3

^what Bryn said

[Jenn Barrette]

I like Surraya.

[HeatherKS]

I'd go with Saraya. :thumbup: That "looks" like it should be pronounced the way you want it to be pronounced, kwim? ;) I'm a word nerd too, so I completely understand your obsession. LOL

But fwiw, my son's name is Callan ('allan' with a hard K on the front) and very few people get it right the first time. :blink: It doesn't look that hard to me. LOL

[Lukasmummy]

I think however you spell it someone will always write or say it wrong sorry. I think Lukas is pretty simple but we have had it spelt Lukiss, Lukes, Luces, Lucas and plenty of other ways. How do you prefer to see it written? Hugs Crystal xx

[SaraAmarie]

Since my name is Sara with no 'h' the spelling of Saraya makes be think Sara-yah. The spelling Suraya sounds more like the pronunciation that you are looking for. Or you could be really unique and go with something like Sa'raya hehe

[rachaelsscraps]

Sorry, misread how you were going to pronounce it.

How about Sarayah

That's what I was thinking, too. the extra "h" at the end looks a little better- balances it out when written, I'd say... I don't know if that makes any sense! :p

[rachaelsscraps]

All I can think of is Psoriasis..LOL.

Same here! Sorry! :(

[lauren grier]

surayah or the variations lol.. looks totally wrong to me- because I'd say it differently (ser aye uh.. instead of suh ray ah) I'd def stick to the 'a' there.. other than that I have no opinion lol

[AnnieBananie]

surayah or the variations lol.. looks totally wrong to me- because I'd say it differently (ser aye uh.. instead of suh ray ah) I'd def stick to the 'a' there.. other than that I have no opinion lol
^^^ Yes, my sentiments exactly.

[glumirk]

...I like the spelling Saraiah best...The y seems to take the elegance out of the name IMO (and I'm usually a huge fan of y's). I have a friend named Sarae, so maybe Saraeah? I think that's more likely to get pronounced correctly, but I still like Saraiah best.

Honestly, even the name Megan can be pronounced May-gun or Meeee-gan. My sister Kathleen gets called Kathy all the time! Having a unique name, and all of those vowels, will cause people to ask how it's pronounced, so they'll hopefully get it right by the second time around. And, when they ask her how you came up with that name, she'll have a good story to back it up!

[*Kelly*]

Love the name and it's meaning!!

*not a fan of 'sur' either

Seraya
Serayah
Serrayah
Siraya
Sirrayah
Sirayah

[LeeAndra]

Thanks, guys, for your help! I'm writing these suggested spellings down, and then I'm going to show them to Jeff to see what he thinks. I guess I should take his opinion into consideration, too. :p

Or maybe he will completely surprise me and go with the #2 contender Eliana Clare. *lol*

[crystalbella77]

My hubby LOVES Eliana! If Ezra had been a girl, that's what he would have been...Eliana Pearl. :)

I'd say Saraya would lead to the correct pronunciation more than Saraiah (which I would read as RYE for that middle syllable).

I ditto this! :)

[Sarah8914]

good luck! I have no advice or suggestions... but I asked my hubby how he would say saraya and he said "rye" so uhh.. yeah... I know he's a guy and all, but it might always be that way.

although I have to say, the receptionist at the pediatric office asked if my baby's name was Saw-die.... seriously. I didn't know people misprounounced SADIE!

[crystalbella77]

yeah...people mis.prn. Ezra all the time...ez-ra. lmao! people are too lazy to think anymore I have decided, lol

[Emmy]

Thanks, guys, for your help! I'm writing these suggested spellings down, and then I'm going to show them to Jeff to see what he thinks. I guess I should take his opinion into consideration, too. :p

Or maybe he will completely surprise me and go with the #2 contender Eliana Clare. *lol*

Love Eliana Clare. Love it. :thumbup:

[lovely1m]

Saraya, for sure. The h on the end really distracted from the name IMO. The y gives it the ray sound rather than the rye sound. Saraiah just looks like too much IMO.