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I love the name but I'd say GAI-a, not GAH-ya.

I used to dislike it, because I kept thinking "Guy, uhhh" in my head. That changed when I met a Gaia in real life, who was my age. I suddenly thought it was a really cool name, it did a complete 180 in my head.

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I also think the full name Emma Thompson and her husband (whose name escapes me) gave their daughter, Gaia Romilly, sounds magical.

I've always pronounced it GIE-ə, and I think it sounds better that way. I like the mythological background, but prefer Maia, which is the name of the Roman goddess of spring, as well as the Greek mother of Hermes.

I like it pronounced G-eye-a.

It's cool. I think it has a very hippie vibe, maybe thanks to the "Gaia hypothesis," but not as flimsy as most hippie style names.
I can't imagine anyone being thoughtless enough to pronounce it gay-a. It's not an unheard-of goddess name, IMO ... and there are no names that are spelled -aia and normally pronounced -ay-a, are there?
In my accent it sounds like guy-a, and the "guy" part makes me exclude it from favorites.

This message was edited 8/30/2019, 4:45 PM

Over-ambitious, I'm afraid. And, probably, likely to be pronounced GAYa which will lead to a lifetime of explanations. Safer as a mn if you really like it.

I like the spelling of the name, but I'm not crazy about the sound of it.
How about using another variation of the aia ending as a twist on the name?
Maia
Raia
Laia/ Leia
I like how those three sound much better, though you lose the connotation that Gaia has.

Lovely and full of history and meaning. I’d use it.