The spelling of the name "Jilian" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /dʒɪliən/. The initial sound, represented by /dʒ/, is a voiced postalveolar affricate. The following sound, represented by /ɪ/, is a lax vowel pronounced with a short "i" sound. The third sound, represented by /l/, is a voiced alveolar lateral approximant. The fourth sound, represented by /i/ again, is the same as the second sound. Finally, the fifth sound, represented by /ən/, is an unstressed syllable containing a mid-central vowel.