How would you pronounce Fabien?

[UsernamesHarderThanBabyNames]

I love the name Fabien, but with the French spelling and pronunciation ie. Fab-yen, but am worried people will confuse it with Fabian ie Fay-b-an, which is probably more common in the UK. Thoughts? Love Fab as a nickname.

[OttiliaVonBCup]

There's no n at the end in the French pronunciation.
There would be one in Fabienne, which is the female name.

[puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE]

Fab-ee-en

[owlbegoing]

I hear it as either Fab-e-en or Fay-b-en.
Slightly different to both of yours.
Definitely an en rather than an an end to it iyswim

[todayiamfat]

I have taught both a Fabienne and a Fabien. The male was prounounced Fay-bee-un.

That's how he prounounced it anyway.

[Casmama]

No-one in the uk will pronounce it the french way and you will sound pretentious if you do. Sorry it I don't think you would be doing your son any favours.

[AuntieStella]

I would pronounce Fabien as Fab-eeyun and Fabian as Fay-bee-an

[dorasee]

Fah-bee-en

[UsernamesHarderThanBabyNames]

Should have mentioned that our last name is French, don't know if that makes it less or more pretentious!

[Wilf83]

Agree with casmama

[florascotia]

It's French, so, as Ottilia says, the 'en' ending is more like 'ong'. The 'g' is not pronounced but is there to show the sound is nasal. So Fab-ee-ong.

Here is a French speaker: www.forvo.com/word/fabien/#fr

It's a great name, but might the existence of an English version (Fabian: Fay-bee-uhn) cause pronounciation confusion over here?

[florascotia]

Cross-post with above. Sorry. If you/your family are French, then of course the French version is OK.

[squoosh]

99% of people in the UK will assume it's pronounced Fay-bee-un. I'd pick a different name if this will bother you.

I would think an English Fab-yeh sounded a teensy bit pretentious.

[Buttercup27]

I read it as fay-b-en

[GetTheRedOut]

I absolutely love this name. Suggested it to DP and got a resounding NO

I would pronounce it Fay-be-un

[Emstheword]

Fabien rhymes with Kasabian

[loislines]

I would automatically say fab-ee-en, more like the french pronunciation.

[forago]

I went to school with a couple of Fabian and say it the French fab ee un way. I also knew a girl called Fabbienne, pronounced fab ee enn. I would pronounce Fabien the English Fabe ee en way.

I really like the (proper) French way and don't find it pretensious, but am used to it I guess.

[Sophronia]

I'd pronounce it Fab-ee-un, but the one English Fabien I know pronounces it Fay-bee-un.

I also know a few German Fabians "fah-bee-an"

[GreatAuntDinah]

It's very very unfashionable in France at the moment if that makes a difference.

[GreatAuntDinah]

It's very out of fashion in france if that makes a difference to you.

[GotToBeInItToWinIt]

I've only ever heard it pronounced Fa rather than Fay at the beginning. But then I used to live in Paris and don't know any children in the UK with the name.

[moxon]

Fah (lahlahlahlah)-bee-yin. Belatedly.