a friend is having a baby girl and loves this name. to me, this spelling- malaika- just makes me want to say ma-lay-ka. but then ma-ly-ka could be pronounced ma-lee-ka, no? help! what would be the best spelling for a baby girl with this name in north america so it doesn’t get butchered?
Re: malaika
That spelling looks fine to me.
Re: malaika
most desi people will read as malika…it’s NOT same as malaa’ika…i would spell as “MALAAYEKA” 
Re: malaika
i named my baby malaika…
Re: malaika
^^^ you’re back nadz!!! congrats…nice name…how is everything? and the baby??
Re: malaika
We thought hard and chose a spelling for our daughter’s name thinking it will be pronounced the right way with this spelling but still half the time people read it wrong. I just correct them and the next time they say it right.
I guess tell her just choose the spelling that she thinks is the right pronunciation.
Re: malaika
looks good the way you spelt it.
used to like the name, but now it makes me think of Malaika Arora Khan 
an indian colleague named his dog Malaika and that also turned me off from the name as well.
Re: malaika
^ aahhh! stop! too late… its ruined for me too
Re: malaika
lol.