How to pronounce my daughter's name:

ELIA MARIE CANFIELD

I found my daughter's name even before she existed. Her middle name was to be a no brainer. Marie. It is my Omi's (Grandmother) name and my middle name. I was looking at baby names online while we were in Costa Rica. I had a lot of time to kill while Josh was at his internship.

I was looking for something unique but not trendy, not traditional with a new spelling, not a totally weird name that no one could pronounce. A good name that would lead to a great life. You know, something that sounded good coming after "Amazing doctor cures cancer..." or following "and the academy award goes to.....". I found a few names I liked and ran them past Josh. He instantly liked Elia. It was decided then and there, before we even created her. Elia Marie Canfield was to be our daughter's name. Then we found out we were pregnant. Before we found out we were having a girl we called the baby Jelly. We had also chosen a boy's name. Jake Brown Canfield. Jake just because we like it (and there is a J thing going in Josh's family) and Brown because it is Josh's mother's maiden name as well as his middle name. Jelly comes from the combination of Jake and Elia. (Brilliant Grandma Robin!) We still call her this.

So as soon as we found out we were having a girl, people asked us if we had chosen a name. Some friends of ours warned us not to tell people what names we had picked because everyone will give their opinion and try and change your mind. We did tell a few people and pretty soon I realized that we HAD chosen a name nobody could pronounce! I started to second guess the name. Could the name Elia Marie Canfield be president? (Come on now, Barack??) Were we dooming her to always correct her teachers when they were doing attendance? She will never find a nameplate at roadside gas station with her name on it! Maybe we should come up with something else. Josh was sticking to his guns. He loved the name and there was no changing his mind. Don't get me wrong, I do love the name too. I just hope she does not resent me someday for giving her a name that she has to constantly re pronounce for people.

We have heard so many people say
Elle, Elijah, Aleeah, Eli, EElyah, Elliot (oh sure, baby in the pink outfit with maryjane socks has a boy's name? Geesh!)
Here is how you say it:
el-lee-uh
or
L (like the letter)
E (like the letter)
and uhh (like duhh)

As soon as I have re pronounced it a few times for them, people do say ,"oh, that's different" and then they proceed to pronounce it themselves a few times to hear it out loud and in their head. Then they say "that is a beautiful name".

Yes, thank you..it IS a beautiful name.