How would you pronounce this?

33 replies

HardCheese · 10/12/2011 16:58

'Rian' is an Irish boy's name we were considering for our baby-to-be, pronounced 'REE-an'. However, it occurred to me that many or most people in the UK would assume it was a makey-uppy 'alternative' spelling of Ryan and pronounce it that way, which I would hate. (Not wild about various half-assed Irish-American 'Irish' baby name sites that say stuff like 'Brogan is a very common name in Ireland'. Well, yes, but as a surname - it would be the equivalent of a UK baby having 'Smith' as a first name...)

So, would you assume 'Rian' was pronouonced 'Ryan'? Put me out of my misery, so we can cross it off and move on. Thanks.

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proudfoot · 10/12/2011 17:51

I would have thought of it as Ree-an to rhyme with Kian, but I have never heard of it before so wouldn't be sure. I do like the sound of it much better than Ryan but I can see the difficulty with it...

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HardCheese · 10/12/2011 17:12

I had a feeling that was what I was going to hear - thanks, all. Back to the drawing board.

Part of the issue being that the baby may grow up in the UK or Ireland - or possibly somewhere else entirely - so we're reluctant to give him one of the commoner Irish names that are more recognised and thus more readily pronounced in the UK, because they are just too common in Ireland, and he might end up in a classroom full of identically-named little boys.

And a couple of names we both like clash disastrously with his surname. Groan. He's going to be 'the baby' until he's about ten at this rate.

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AKissIsNotAContract · 10/12/2011 17:10

Yes I would assume it was pronounced Ryan, as a friend of mine called his son Rion but wanted it to be pronounced Ryan.

PurplePidjInAPearTree · 10/12/2011 17:06

I would assume it was a girl's name, like Rhianne!

Svrider · 10/12/2011 17:04

I also would have thought ryan, unless told otherwise
Then again I would think ree ann would be a girls name.....
Disclaimer
Don't know anything about Irish names

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 10/12/2011 17:04

Yes, I would assume it was a made-up version of Ryan. Sorry.

purepurple · 10/12/2011 17:02

I would pronounce it Ryan, unless you told me otherwise and then I would use the correct pronouncation.

YougreatChristmaspudding · 10/12/2011 17:01

It is Ree-an to me, I wouldn't have even thought of Ryan.

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