Message: "Pronunciation of -iyah names"

Pronunciation of -iyah names

by ClaudiaS

9/30/2012, 3:36 PM

A great number of names ending with -iya(h) appear on the U.S. SSA list in 2011, including Aniyah, Janiyah, Zariyah, Samiyah, Jaliyah, Kaliyah, Zaniyah, Taliyah, etc. I have never met anyone with this type of name, and I'm curious about how they are generally pronounced. Is the ending "eye-ah" (as in Mariah) or "ee-ya" (as in Leah)? Or can it go either way?

Also, any info about why this ending has become so popular?

#pronunciation

Replies

- clevelandkentevans +2

10/1/2012, 6:34 AM

I think it can go either way, but I believe it is usually "ee-ya", because this is mostly a suffix abstracted out of the name Aaliyah, from the late African-American singer.

Aaliyah's fame as well as the natural progression of fashion have led to -iyah replacing -isha and -ika as the most common suffix in newly created African-American female names.

- ClaudiaS +1

10/1/2012, 6:59 AM

Thank you!

I don't know why I didn't connect these names with Aaliyah. Because of the popularity of names like Maya, Amaya, Anaya, etc., I was tending to pronounce the -iyah ending that way. But your explanation makes more sense. Thanks!

This message was edited 10/1/2012, 7:50 AM

- LH (guest)

10/7/2012, 1:27 PM

I agree with the "ee-ah" rather than "eye-ah" pronunciation.

But even more, I think the -iyah ending helps to set the desired syllable emphasis.

For example, Zaria could be ZAR-ee-uh. Zariyah looks like Zuh-REE-uh.

Talia is very acceptaed as TAHL-ee-uh (or even TAHL-yuh), so Taliyah sets that distinction.

View Message

Replies