What's in a name?

Everyone asks us where we found Laelia's name, what it means, and how you pronounce it. Most people have never heard it before, and that was part of the reason we chose it. Jeremy started telling people that Laelia is Latin for "Little Skier," and while that would be wicked cool, it's just not really the case.

I first came across the name about 3 years ago. As you know, I spent the last 4 years teaching Latin, and one of the things I did every year was to give each student a Latin name for use in class. My Latin dictionary had a name section in the back, and I would give the students either the actual Latin translation of their names or else a close sounding name if their names did not appear in the list. I was looking for a name for my student Lilly, and Laelia was the name I gave her. I remember thinking then how beautiful I thought it was and how I'd like to name my daughter Laelia someday. Jeremy liked it too, so the first name I suggested was it! It is the Latin name for a type of orchid flower, one that is usually pink or purple. I didn't actually know that when we chose it, but it makes me like it even more! Sometimes, though, I still say that Laelia means "Little Skier" because it makes me happy!

Pronunciation: Laelia has 3 syllables, which the emphasis on the first. The 'ae' sounds like the letter A, the 'i' sounds like the letter E, and the final 'a' is the short vowel sound for A. Phonetically, LAY-lee-ah. Hope this helps, and soon I'll upload a video where I say her name so you can hear it too!

Hall: We chose the middle name Hall to honor my maternal grandparents, Bill and Emily Hall, and let the family name be carried on for one more generation. We are thankful for their presence in our lives and all the love they have for us. And we can't wait for them to meet Laelia!