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Help[Opinions] Leia
This name crossed my mind today. I am not a huge Star Wars fan, I have seen the movies and liked them but I am not crazy about it or anything. The name is really pretty in my opinion, pronounced LAY-a. I dislike LEE-a and LE-a but LAY-a is really nice!
I wouldn't use it because it shares a meaning with Leah (weary/languid, apparently because Leah in the Bible had weary eyes and was considered unattractive, never understood the appeal of this especially to religious people) but I like it. Opinions on Leia?
I wouldn't use it because it shares a meaning with Leah (weary/languid, apparently because Leah in the Bible had weary eyes and was considered unattractive, never understood the appeal of this especially to religious people) but I like it. Opinions on Leia?
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Leia is soft and gentle sounding. The association with the Star Wars character gives it some spunk. I too like it more than the Biblical Leah. In tone and general feel, Leia reminds me more of Linnea and Raia.
Most people would probably assume that you were a Star Wars fan if you did decide to use it, but it isn't a bad association to have and doesn't carry a lot of baggage like some names.
Most people would probably assume that you were a Star Wars fan if you did decide to use it, but it isn't a bad association to have and doesn't carry a lot of baggage like some names.
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You can still pronounce Lea as Leia. Many cultures pronounce it that way. If you don't love star wars or have some connection otherwise with Leia I would stray from using it if "Did you name her after Leia in Star Wars?" comments would start to annoy you.
P.S. Leah wasn't unattractive in the Bible, she had an eye condition considered "weak eyes" so she may have needed glasses, which they didn't have at the time, or she was born with some other partial blindness or eye problem. There is an alternate idea that "weary" actually means "delicate" and she had delicate eyes.
From Wikipedia: The commentary of Rashi cites a Rabbinic interpretation of how Leah's eyes became weak. According to this story, Leah was destined to marry Jacob's older twin brother, Esau. In the Rabbinic mind, the two brothers are polar opposites; Jacob being a God-fearing scholar and Esau being a hunter who also indulges in murder, idolatry, and adultery. But people were saying, "Laban has two daughters and his sister, Rebekah, has two sons. The older daughter (Leah) will marry the older son (Esau), and the younger daughter (Rachel) will marry the younger son (Jacob)." Hearing this, Leah spent most of her time weeping and praying to God to change her destined mate. Thus the Torah describes her eyes as "soft" from weeping. God hearkens to Leah's tears and prayers and allows her to marry Jacob even before Rachel does.
There are a couple of translations for Leah, one which is "ewe" which isn't common, one which is the Hebrew "weary" which probably describes an eye condition she was born with, or a Chaldean name meaning "mistress" or "ruler" in Akkadian. Take your pick.
P.S. Leah wasn't unattractive in the Bible, she had an eye condition considered "weak eyes" so she may have needed glasses, which they didn't have at the time, or she was born with some other partial blindness or eye problem. There is an alternate idea that "weary" actually means "delicate" and she had delicate eyes.
From Wikipedia: The commentary of Rashi cites a Rabbinic interpretation of how Leah's eyes became weak. According to this story, Leah was destined to marry Jacob's older twin brother, Esau. In the Rabbinic mind, the two brothers are polar opposites; Jacob being a God-fearing scholar and Esau being a hunter who also indulges in murder, idolatry, and adultery. But people were saying, "Laban has two daughters and his sister, Rebekah, has two sons. The older daughter (Leah) will marry the older son (Esau), and the younger daughter (Rachel) will marry the younger son (Jacob)." Hearing this, Leah spent most of her time weeping and praying to God to change her destined mate. Thus the Torah describes her eyes as "soft" from weeping. God hearkens to Leah's tears and prayers and allows her to marry Jacob even before Rachel does.
There are a couple of translations for Leah, one which is "ewe" which isn't common, one which is the Hebrew "weary" which probably describes an eye condition she was born with, or a Chaldean name meaning "mistress" or "ruler" in Akkadian. Take your pick.
This message was edited 3/11/2017, 9:19 PM
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You make some interesting comments about Leah and the origin of her name. I have heard that many scholars have gathered that she had delicate eyes. In the Bible, she was definitely a pitiable character but not someone I would want to name a daughter after.
You should suggest to Behind the Name that they add the Chaldean meaning. It would help round out the name a little more.
You should suggest to Behind the Name that they add the Chaldean meaning. It would help round out the name a little more.
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I think it's really pretty (and I love Star Wars, at least, the original 3 films and the new ones are/seem fun, the prequels sucked).
But much like I raise my eyebrows at the idea of calling a kid Anakin, I wouldn't use Leia.
Laia is just as pretty and a more useable option, imho. And doesn't have the 'Leah' meaning you dislike.
(My only exception is if I had had a daughter around the time Carrie died, I would have been tempted (but might not have actually used) to use Leia as a middle name as a kind of tribute.)
But much like I raise my eyebrows at the idea of calling a kid Anakin, I wouldn't use Leia.
Laia is just as pretty and a more useable option, imho. And doesn't have the 'Leah' meaning you dislike.
(My only exception is if I had had a daughter around the time Carrie died, I would have been tempted (but might not have actually used) to use Leia as a middle name as a kind of tribute.)
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I love it as well! I suggest Laya or Laia if you want to avoid confusion with the character!
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I suggest... not doing that. I'd pronounce both of those as lie-uh, not lay-uh, and they come off as an attempt to be tryndy and yoonik.
That said, I do love Leia, I think it's beautiful and bring a whole level of grace and elegance above Leah. I could never use it, though. My brother is named afyer Luke Skywalker. In my family it would necessarily be seen as a namesake to the character. Not that I'm totally opposed to fictional character names, especially with such a great character as this, but I'm not gonna be that themey. And it isn't *quite* my style.
That said, I do love Leia, I think it's beautiful and bring a whole level of grace and elegance above Leah. I could never use it, though. My brother is named afyer Luke Skywalker. In my family it would necessarily be seen as a namesake to the character. Not that I'm totally opposed to fictional character names, especially with such a great character as this, but I'm not gonna be that themey. And it isn't *quite* my style.
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