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I don't mind Elissa, and I do pronounce it the same way as you. However, I think that "eh-liss-ah" and "uh-liss-ah" is not that different so a lot of people probably will pronounce it the same way. I do think people would think it is trendy because of the double-S which is similar to names like Alyssa.

I like Elissa as a first name.

I think Elissa looks so pretty. I wouldn't ever use it as a first name, though, because of the confusion with Alyssa (a spelling I don't like). The pronunciation of the two is so close that it's almost impossible to tell. In fact, the pronunciations you wrote sound almost identical to me. I think that even if the el is said differently than the al, because the emphasis is not on that syllable it's way too easy to mix up. I'd avoid Elissa as a first name. Personally, I think Elise is nicer anyway.

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Both your combos are very nice. I like Autumn Elissa.

I think Elissa is lovely and usable in either position. I do pronounce it differently than Alyssa, which has the "uh" sound at the beginning and I can't see how it should be difficult for others to distinguish the two names. I don't say "eliminate" or "elicit" with an "uh" sound, nor do I recall having heard others say them this way.

Like I said in your earlier thread, I had a friend named Elissa in high school. I think it's perfectly usable as a first name, BUT, people actually seemed to have more trouble spelling it than they did pronouncing it. (I don't really see any difference in the pronunciations you posted here, for what it's worth. If I try REALLY hard I can say them a little differently, but I imagine I'd get exhausted trying to call a child that way :P) Everyone seemed to know she didn't spell it Alyssa, but for some reason, they had trouble getting to Elissa.

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I guess I like the combo Hope Elissa, of the two you posted, but don't care for either first name much.

Elissa and Alyssa sound nearly the same to me. There's a slight difference if I intentionally enunciate the first vowel, but in casual conversation I doubt I'd pick up the difference. Alyssa also reads harsher to me while Elissa would be spoken with a softer sound, but that's just me.

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I do prefer the spelling Elissa, however. It's much more elegant and sophisticated than Alyssa.

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I think it's perfectly suitable as a first name.

This message was edited 6/14/2011, 10:38 AM

Alyssa has always gotten on my nerves. If I pronounce these differently, it's hard to tell. So I have to say "no" to Elissa.

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But I had no idea it was related to Dido, or that old. Neat. :-) I just can't get over my Alyssa version.

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