JMDRAD Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My husband and I have had a time trying to come up with a name for our baby boy due in April. We both agree on the name Leif though (pronounced with a long "a"). My only hesitation is that it's a rather unique name (my husband couldn't care less what people think). We've agreed to keep his name a secret till he's born so I really don't know what people's reactions will be. LOL I'm not asking if it's a name that you would name your kid but rather your thoughts on the name if you met or heard of someone named Leif. What kind of person do you think of, etc.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 A friend of mine has a child named Leif, with that pronunciation. They usually have to tell people how to pronounce it, but it's fine and dandy otherwise. Personally I love a unique name and say go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 First I will say that you will get lots of people mispronouncing it. As long as you (and your future son) are okay with that, then it is a great name. I think most people will pronounce it Leaf. I generally think of it as a Scandinavian name. I think of blonde or a fair haired guy. That's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 All my kids would say is...ohhhhh like Leif Erickson... :) (don't know the most popular way to spell his last name, I know there are different ways...) Spelling.... I'd say most people will say "leaf" when looking at it, and when hearing it will spell it "Layfe" or something. I think it's a cool name:) It's for sure not an "ugly" name, like some unusual names. Do you have a last name that supports it? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I'll be honest and say I don't love it. I think it sounds like "laugh" is being mispronounced or something. I also don't think it sounds super manly, but then I have Leif Garrett in my head when I see the name, LOL. And don't get me wrong, I'm not too against unusual names. We have an Axel afterall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDRAD Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Our last name is Scotch-Irish and my girls and I are all fair skinned with blonde hair and blue eyes. My husband has red hair with hazel eyes. I really think the name fits perfectly with our family. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My husband and I have had a time trying to come up with a name for our baby boy due in April. We both agree on the name Leif though (pronounced with a long "a"). My only hesitation is that it's a rather unique name (my husband couldn't care less what people think). We've agreed to keep his name a secret till he's born so I really don't know what people's reactions will be. LOL I'm not asking if it's a name that you would name your kid but rather your thoughts on the name if you met or heard of someone named Leif. What kind of person do you think of, etc.? Well, I'm old enough to remember Leif Garrett, but then that would make me old enough to be your baby's grandma, so take that for what it's worth! I think the biggest challenge with the name is that most people will mispronounce it, and you/he will have to spell it every.single.time when giving his name. BUT I do that for my name, and so do a lot of other people. Oh yeah, and they mispronounce my name at least half the time too, but I since I answer to almost anything, I forget about that. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I unfailingly think of Leif Garrett when I hear that name. Pop star from the late '70s. Went on to drug use and multiple arrests after his 15 minutes of fame were over. I do pronounce it "Layfe" though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom25girls Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Ohhh.... Not to show my age, but it brings to mind Leif Garrett! He was quite a hottie in the 70's ( amazing hair!). I love unique names! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDRAD Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Well, I'm old enough to remember Leif Garrett, but then that would make me old enough to be your baby's grandma, so take that for what it's worth! I think the biggest challenge with the name is that most people will mispronounce it, and you/he will have to spell it every.single.time when giving his name. BUT I do that for my name, and so do a lot of other people. Oh yeah, and they mispronounce my name at least half the time too, but I since I answer to almost anything, I forget about that. :001_smile: I have no idea who Leif Garrett is.:lol: I have to spell my girl's names all the time and our last name trips people up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like it. My husband is part Scandinavian, and we considered both Leif and Anders at one point for our son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmvaughan4 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 We also chose names that are uncommon. We also chose not to tell people before the boys were born. For DS2, I got little scrapbook tags/labels and wrote his name (with pronunciation) before he was even born. While in the recovery room, before family came in, I wrote in his stats. I knew that no one would be able to remember his name/spelling/pronunciation, so I made these. If you both like it, then use the name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDRAD Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like it. My husband is part Scandinavian, and we considered both Leif and Anders at one point for our son. Never heard of the name Anders but I really like it! We are still trying to come up with a middle name. We've considered Jefferson but not totally sure. Leif Anders would be cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Leif Garrett at his prime. After that....you'll have to Google his mug shot. Which I emailed to my best friend who had a HUGE crush on him at the time with this caption, "I told you he was a pothead." :lol: I was never a fan. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I would think, "his parents didn't know how to pronounce Leif." (Sorry, you asked.) Then I'd think, "maybe I've be pronouncing it wrong" ('cause it's not like I know any Leifs -- I think I've just read the name!). And then I'd think, "cool name." It reminds me of the word "waif" pronounced the way you are saying it... but I think that would just be a passing thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My husband and I have had a time trying to come up with a name for our baby boy due in April. We both agree on the name Leif though (pronounced with a long "a"). My only hesitation is that it's a rather unique name (my husband couldn't care less what people think). We've agreed to keep his name a secret till he's born so I really don't know what people's reactions will be. LOL I'm not asking if it's a name that you would name your kid but rather your thoughts on the name if you met or heard of someone named Leif. What kind of person do you think of, etc.? Long A sound, like rhyming with waif? Or like Leaf, as in Leif Garrett (whom I remember, by the way, being OLD). I'd do Leif (leaf). I'm sorry, but I don't like Leif rhyming with waif. I'm all for a little unique but I wouldn't set my son up for a lifetime of teasing and having to correct people over and over about his name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDRAD Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I would think, "his parents didn't know how to pronounce Leif." (Sorry, you asked.) Then I'd think, "maybe I've be pronouncing it wrong" ('cause it's not like I know any Leifs -- I think I've just read the name!). And then I'd think, "cool name." It reminds me of the word "waif" pronounced the way you are saying it... but I think that would just be a passing thought. :lol::lol: Thanks! I grew up saying long "e" but I recently found out that it has three correct pronunciations long "a", long "e" and long "i". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I love it--we like unusual names here too. My DD has an unusual Scandinavian name. ETA: I would have loved to name our DS Anders, but my DH vetoed it. Boo. Maybe next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jallison25 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 truthfully, i don't love it. i agree with some of the other posters who said they would think it was pronounced Leaf, not laif. Also, something to think about, if you name this baby a L name, you will have 3 with L's and one w/o. I don't know if that matters to you or not. I'm wierd that way. I like them to either all have the same letter or not, not just one odd girl out :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 First I will say that you will get lots of people mispronouncing it. As long as you (and your future son) are okay with that, then it is a great name. I think most people will pronounce it Leaf. I generally think of it as a Scandinavian name. I think of blonde or a fair haired guy. That's all. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMDRAD Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 truthfully, i don't love it. i agree with some of the other posters who said they would think it was pronounced Leaf, not laif. Also, something to think about, if you name this baby a L name, you will have 3 with L's and one w/o. I don't know if that matters to you or not. I'm wierd that way. I like them to either all have the same letter or not, not just one odd girl out :001_smile: Yes, we thought about that having all "L" names but one. But we often call our oldest Laine anyways. I'm beginning to wonder if the pronunciation is a regional thing? I grew up in the South and always heard it with the long "e". My husband grew up out West and always heard it with the long "a". My SIL spent several years in Denmark and says the long "i". (She's the only person that knows we are considering the name.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like it, but I wouldn't use it for my child's name. I tend to err on the side of making name pronunciation/spelling easier. After a few years it gets really tiring telling people how to spell/pronounce your name. And then there are the people who will insist on pronouncing it their way anyways. Blech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I think of Leif Garrett, too. He's in such a bad place still (Watch World's Dumbest....). It would be too much of a reminder for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I dislike names that are unique for the sake of being unique. However, Leif is a very common name around here where we have a large Icelandic community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 First I will say that you will get lots of people mispronouncing it. As long as you (and your future son) are okay with that, then it is a great name. I think most people will pronounce it Leaf. I generally think of it as a Scandinavian name. I think of blonde or a fair haired guy. That's all. I agree. It looks like a cool name, too! But if you do not want to have folks call him Leaf, could you spell it Lafe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like the name. However, it immediately brought Leif Garret to mind. He was oh so fab back in the day. And then I would think his life didn't work out so great so maybe I shouldn't name him that. It will be mispronounced alot so if you are okay with it then go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have no idea who Leif Garrett is.:lol: I have to spell my girl's names all the time and our last name trips people up too. I think of Leif Garrett, too. He's in such a bad place still (Watch World's Dumbest....). It would be too much of a reminder for me. This was my immediate thought as well. Mispronunciation would be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in MI Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 First I will say that you will get lots of people mispronouncing it. As long as you (and your future son) are okay with that, then it is a great name. I think most people will pronounce it Leaf. I generally think of it as a Scandinavian name. I think of blonde or a fair haired guy. That's all. :iagree: But it is cute! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabeline Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I think the biggest challenge with the name is that most people will mispronounce it, and you/he will have to spell it every.single.time when giving his name. My oldest has an unusual name. Whenever someone asked his name,they always asked how to spell it. He knew how to spell his name by the time he was 2 1/2. :lol: When asked he name he would say it then spell it. :lol: it was so cute.:D He loves his name by the way. Even his younger brother wishes he was named the same name.:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have one of those. :) And we pronounce it with a long a sound, too. Everyone seems to love his name, and we haven't had any troubles with it. It's short, and he has no problem spelling it for people if they aren't sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Never heard of the name Anders but I really like it! We are still trying to come up with a middle name. We've considered Jefferson but not totally sure. Leif Anders would be cool! I love the name Leif Anders! Our Leif's middle name is Benjamin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I went to school with a family that had a Leif, a Lyric and a Lark! I like all those names. Lark was on my short list. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 When I hear the name Leif pronounced the way you mention I think of someone strong, blonde, and blue eyed. My cousin's husband is named Leif but he pronounces it "life." I think his heritage is Norwegian but he has dark hair...doesn't look like your "typical Scandinavian" at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I've always liked the look of Leif but I've always assumed its pronunciation as "Leaf". "Layfe" I think you'd be correcting/explaining over and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 One of my friends has a son with that name and he's a delightful, smart boy. They have a Scandanavian last name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Love it!!! I absolutely love names that are uncommon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have known several Leifs over the years, they didn't seem to have a problem with the name being mispronounced. If I remember right, Colleen (an member from way back) has a son named Leif, you might pm her and see if they have had many issues with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 There's a little Leif at our church, no-one has any problems with the name. I like it, but then I could be accused of cursing my children with difficult, unusual names ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 First I will say that you will get lots of people mispronouncing it. As long as you (and your future son) are okay with that, then it is a great name. I think most people will pronounce it Leaf. I generally think of it as a Scandinavian name. I think of blonde or a fair haired guy. That's all. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Totally thinking of Leif Garrett, too, and not in a good way. The name is fine, but he'll go through life being called LEAF, and having people spell his name LEAF. I think it needs a Scandinavian last name to go with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kertie Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My husband and I have had a time trying to come up with a name for our baby boy due in April. We both agree on the name Leif though (pronounced with a long "a"). My only hesitation is that it's a rather unique name (my husband couldn't care less what people think). We've agreed to keep his name a secret till he's born so I really don't know what people's reactions will be. LOL I'm not asking if it's a name that you would name your kid but rather your thoughts on the name if you met or heard of someone named Leif. What kind of person do you think of, etc.? One of my brothers is named Leif. He's had some people pronounce it "leaf", which I never understood because no one pronounces "neighbor" as "neaghbor", but whatever;). Since I obviously think of my brother when I hear the name, I automatically think Scandinavian (Norwegian, in our case), blond, tall, responsible, solid work-ethic, generous, quiet, great sense of humor, not into drama:lol:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) I have a Leif. Pronounced with a long E because I was young and stupid and didn't thoroughly research :) The name kind of came up at the last minute, and I'd just had a baby, so wasn't exactly thinking totally clearly. So obviously, I like the name. Perhaps more importantly, he seems to like it and the historical connection. Funny story: when he was about 6 months old, we walked in a dentist's office, and the receptionist said "He looks just like Leif Erikson!". We'd never met any of them before, and the appointment was for me, not him. Guess we chose the right name! We have a bit of a problem now in that we have another child with an Ei name, which I want pronounced as a long A (and that's the correct way), but everyone else pronounces it with more of an eh sound. Perhaps if we'd pronounced Leif's name correctly in the first place, people who interpret her Ei correctly. Edited January 17, 2012 by ocelotmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquinas Academy Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My SIL spent several years in Denmark and says the long "i". (She's the only person that knows we are considering the name.) In Scandinavia Leif is pronounced "Life". I considered Leif for my sons, but I say the Scandinavian pronunciation, which is just too unusual (for my taste) in North America. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like it. I like Leif Anders too. I don't think anything repugnant when I think of Leif. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 My oldest has an unusual name. Whenever someone asked his name,they always asked how to spell it. He knew how to spell his name by the time he was 2 1/2. :lol: When asked he name he would say it then spell it. :lol: it was so cute.:D He loves his name by the way. Even his younger brother wishes he was named the same name.:lol: DS says his name, and then spells it. One of his swimming instructors misunderstood, and kept calling him by the spelled-out version of his name for the entire 2 months. DS found it really cute, and never corrected him. At the end o the class I came over to introduce myself, as "Xan's mom", and the instructor stared at me, and then said, "Oh, X.A.N.'s mom?" :lol: I really like Leif! So what if you'd need to spell it? I'd rather spell out Leif, than one of the Kr8ive spelling of Ashley. :tongue_smilie: I actually like the added meaning of "leaf". My youngest's name is a regular name in English, but also sounds like the name of a flower in another language. Most don't know about it, and I love this secret layered meaning within her name. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I love it! It sounds like it fits with your family perfectly. eta - I had the biggest crush on Leif Garret in 4th grade - along with every other girl I knew!! We LOVED him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi @ Mt Hope Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have known several Leifs over the years, they didn't seem to have a problem with the name being mispronounced. If I remember right, Colleen (an member from way back) has a son named Leif, you might pm her and see if they have had many issues with it. She actually has a Rafe. I believe they chose that spelling so that no one would mis-pronounce it. (Maybe instead of Ralph like Ralph Fiennes?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Our last name is Scotch-Irish and my girls and I are all fair skinned with blonde hair and blue eyes. My husband has red hair with hazel eyes. I really think the name fits perfectly with our family. LOL I must say that saying all of your kids names together along with Leif sounds very poetical. Perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomandlorih Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 The only Leif I know is a Leif Erickson.. How cruel were his parents? LOL It is pronounced Leaf and he's actually part Japanese:lol:. He's a nice guy.. a little laid back and happy go lucky. The only Leif (layfe) I have heard of is a local auto repair shop with an unsavory reputation. Very profitable but not above taking advantage of an "it's legal and we don't necessarily care if it's moral" attitude. Had to spell my name all my life..although most people do pronounce it correctly if they see it written.. There are worse things:D Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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