Message: "Pronounciation of Leah"

Pronounciation of Leah

by egyptianpanda

9/19/2009, 6:41 AM

Another one of my friends has fallen in love with the Twilight series, and really likes the character Leah Clearwater. However, she is convinced that the name is pronounced like "Leigh." Is this or has this ever been a "proper" pronounciation of this name?

Thanks!
~Ilana~

#pronunciation

Replies

- egyptianpanda

9/24/2009, 1:01 PM

Thanks guys. I thought it was only usually pronounced that way but my friend had her heart set on that pronounciation. Now I can explain it to her.

Thanks again,
~Ilana~

- Andromache (Hannah Ruth)

9/24/2009, 8:02 AM

I've known a couple of Leahs and I've only ever heard it pronounced "LEE-uh".

- telfalathiel

9/23/2009, 8:32 PM

The most common pronunciation in the U.S. is LEE-ah. LAY-ah is fairly common here. I've heard it pronounced LEE once before, so it's not unheard of but it's definitely not common.

- Lea M (lcgirl20) +1

9/21/2009, 12:38 PM

I don't think it has. Lea has been pronounced that way, though (one of the two wrong pronunciations I frequently get). Leah is always pronounced LEE-ah, but Lea is more open-ended. It can be pronounced Lee, or LAY-ah, or like Leah. So no, I don't think that's a proper way to pronounce Leah, at least with an H.

- LMS

11/2/2009, 6:08 PM

My name is also Leah (spelled this way though) and I get Lee and Leigh too, although that is not the correct pronunciations. It is definately Lee-uh and always has been. From what I understand, even the original pronunciation of Leah was Leh-uh (with the Leh sounding like the beginning of Letter) not Leigh-uh (with the Leigh sound rhyming with sleigh).

Its okay, your friend will be schooled when the movie comes out (if the movie gets it right).

- Dracotorix

9/20/2009, 4:50 PM

I don't think so. In an American accent, it's LEE-uh. In a few other accents, it's LE-ah.

- Cleveland Kent Evans (clevelandkentevans)

9/19/2009, 10:10 AM

I have never met anyone who pronounces it this way myself. Most Americans I know pronounce it as "Lee-uh", though occasionally one runs into Jewish women who prefer "Lay-uh".

I'm sure there are women named Leah who have used Lee or Leigh as a pet form.

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