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Original poster

Name with 2 pronunciations

59 replies

Tesdor28 · 05/01/2025 14:38

Hi all, I am the end of my pregnancy with baby girl n.2. My husband and I are both Italian and currently live in the UK, although we don't know how long we will stay here. Among the names we are considering, there is one that exists with the same spelling in both English and Italian, but I believe it is pronounced differently in English than in Italian. The name is Gilda, and in Italian it is pronounced with a soft G, while in English, if I am correct, with a hard G. I am a bit worried that if we choose this name it will be confusing for my daughter. We don't mind the sound of the English pronounciation either, but for sure we would pronounce it the Italian way. What is your take on this? For my first daughter we don't have this problem as the difference in pronounciation of her name is less important.

OP posts:
SchoolDilemma17 · 05/01/2025 14:56

Tesdor28 · 05/01/2025 14:54

Well I guess that's personal taste... I am more concerned about it being confusing for my daughter being called in 2 different ways

Show quote history

Yes it’s also annoying

TunnocksOrDeath · 05/01/2025 14:55

If you're planning on staying in the uk permanently, she will be correcting pretty much every single person who sees her name written, before they speak to her, for the rest of her life. Teachers, interviews, new colleagues, clients, doctors, etc. It used to drive me nuts (my surname is apparently difficult, despite being English!). Some people don't mind, though. So I guess it depends on your personal preference.

JollyJolene · 05/01/2025 14:54

I wouldn’t worry about it too much. As a teacher, I have taught a few children called Eva. One was said as ‘ever’ one as ‘ay-va’ and the rest ‘ee-va’.
Even the simplest looking name can have a different pronunciation. Just correct people when they say the name with a hard g.

Original poster
Tesdor28 · 05/01/2025 14:54

WidgetDigit2022 · 05/01/2025 14:50

Yep, we’ll pronounce it with a hard G, and I agree with PP, I’m personally not keen on that. It doesn’t sound feminine, soft or beautiful. Would sound nice with a soft G but no one will pronounce it that way here.

Id keep it as a nickname and find another.

Well I guess that's personal taste... I am more concerned about it being confusing for my daughter being called in 2 different ways

OP posts:
SchoolDilemma17 · 05/01/2025 14:53

Sorry no, my friend is Italian and wanted Laura (pronounced Italian) but nobody in the Uk would stick to that. Her DM also commented that the English pronunciation sounds like l’ora (the hour). My other Italian friend has a child whose name is pronounced differently in English and constantly gets mispronounced at school by teachers and others.

WidgetDigit2022 · 05/01/2025 14:50

Yep, we’ll pronounce it with a hard G, and I agree with PP, I’m personally not keen on that. It doesn’t sound feminine, soft or beautiful. Would sound nice with a soft G but no one will pronounce it that way here.

Id keep it as a nickname and find another.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 05/01/2025 14:47

My children both have names which are spelled the same way but pronounced differently in each of their languages. It's not a problem. My 3 year old now pronounces his own name differently depending on what language he is speaking.

Ablondiebutagoody · 05/01/2025 14:44

Won't be a problem. My DS has a name that works in 2 different languages, each side of the family pronounce it their way. Infact, everyone in the family has the same situation but some names are completely butchered because the other language can't really cope with it.

RandomMess · 05/01/2025 14:42

The English will assume it's a hard G and it doesn't sound very nice tbh.

Presumably you will just tell people how to pronounce it.

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