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[Facts] Pronunciation of -iyah names
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?
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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.
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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

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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.
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