How would you pronounce Oisin?

[soapnuts]

I know all the books say Ush-een (which I don't like - sounds like a girls name to me) but I've known a couple of people with the name who pronounce it Osh-in - which I love!

DH is Irish and pronounces it the first way but agrees with me that he loves it the second way. All our family is in Ireland (though they will pronounce it the way we tell them!) but we live abroad (in a very international community) and our son is likely to not be living in Ireland as well. DS1 also has an Irish name that is pronounced slightly differently than it is spelt (though much closer and it wasn't intentional!) and it's never been a problem.

So how would you pronounce it? If you wanted it to be Osh-in, how would you spell it? Or are we just storing up problems for ourselves and DS?? We're really struggling with other names we agree on!

[StuntNun]

I think there are different pronounciations depending on which Irish accent you have. Certainly the similar girls' name Roisin can be pronounced Rosh-een, Row-sheen, etc. by different people. Oisin is a lovely name (I would say O-sheen with a very short O but I'm English so what do I know!)

[trumpton]

Osh-un here in the Isle of Man . Our friend in Wales has a DS with the same name also pronounced the same way . Somewhere between Osh-un and Osh-in anyway . Lovely name . Good Manx song called Hie Finn as Oisin . Might be on interweb by The Mollag Band if you can find it .

[twolittlebundles]

my friend called Oisin always pronounced it Osh-in, which I like. I would spell it the traditional way, myself, but I prefer traditional spellings.

Having said that, my DP has an un-pronounceable and un-spellable name (it is Welsh and he has never actually lived in Wales) which he has to spell out and explain to people every day of his life. Which is fine if you're outgoing and confident as a child, but a problem if you are prone to shyness!

[soapnuts]

oh yeah!! I was expecting everyone to say Ush-een. I think we're going to go with Osh-in (or Osh-un is fine too!) and I would prefer it spelt the traditional way. DS1 is spelt the gaelic way (though some suggest that is pronounced slightly differently too!!) and I've got a name that I have to spell and "teach" people how to pronounce (though it's pretty common!) so he won't be the only one anyhow.

..... now just got to work on a middle name!!

[DolomitesDonkey]

I would pronounce it O-sheen based upon knowing a Roisin and my basic knowledge of gaelic.

[Flimflammery]

I have Irish friends with son called Oisin. Originally I'm sure they told us it was 'ush' as in 'push' - een. But later they started pronouncing it 'ush' as in 'rush' -een. But not osh-in, sorry.

[newby2]

I'm English and I would pronounce it Osh-een, defo not Ush-een. I would remember to put the accent over the last i. I think thats nice.

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

O-shin for my NI relatives. It was my name for DD had she been a boy. But the Kerry clan say Ush !

[whatthewhatthebleep]

it's like hoisin sauce without the H isn't it?...that's what came to me...sorry

[whatthewhatthebleep]

thats how I saw the name...but I'm just someone thats never heard this name before...purely on spelling this is what jumped out for me....

[FarelyKnuts]

Its Uh sheen here in the west of Ireland but if you aren't in the country people will probably just pronounce it however you tell it

[BustleInYourHedgerow]

Ush-een here. The fada (accent on the i, can't do it on my phone) means the emphasis is on the i. I know Oisins from Dublin, the NorthWest and the South and had never heard it pronounced any other way.

[aufaniae]

The Welsh and Scottish versions are spelt Osian and Ossian (respectively)
and are both pronounced Osh-an I think.

Beautiful name :)

It has some great stories attached to it too.

[newmum001]

I read it like hoisin too.

[7to25]

The only problem with Oisin is that the een at the end will make people think it is a girls name.
This is the reason I have avoided it in my collection of 5 Irish boys names

[DevaDiva]

Oshan but I'm Welsh

[IShallPracticeMyCurtsey]

Chiming in to echo Maryz's explanation of how the name is traditionally spelled and pronounced here in Ireland. Never heard it any other way here.

[soapnuts]

Maryz - I see your point on the fada.... I was planning on leaving it off (so I guess not all that traditional) because we're abroad and it just would get to complicated trying to explain the fada..... would that change the pronounciation though?

aufaniae/Devadiva - how do you pronounce those? I've googled but I'm struggling with the pronunciation! We could definitely get away with using a Welsh name as we've got heritage that way too!

[babyblabber]

Never heard any version other than Uh-sheen. Think it's a gorgeous name but doesn't go with our surname

[aufaniae]

The Welsh version of the same name is spelt Osian and pronounced Osh-an.

[redpanda13]

Uh-sheen. Irish relatives so familiar with the name.

[CharlotteYork]

I have a number of Irish friends with boys with this name they all pronounce
O shin

[TiggerWearsATriteSmile]

Call him something else.
Hi, my name is taffy. I know it's spelled tigger but My mother doesn't like that pronunciation so we say taffy. Yes, I know it doesn't make sense but that's my name, ok. ( and repeat.... A lot.)

[soapnuts]

Tigger I totally see what you mean but until my DH "corrected" me, I had only come across people pronouncing it O-shin (ie how I want to pronounce it) ..... and I listened to him about how to pronounce DS1s name and apparently that depends on where in Ireland you are too! I honestly can't come up with anything else I like as much. I have a name that can be pronouced (correctly) two ways (and most people pronounce it a third, incorrect way!) but it's never really been a problem for me!
.... I could very easily be convinced into the Welsh Osh-An but DS1 has "an" at the end of his name so it could be a bit rhymey!

You're all being very helpful - thank you!