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Original poster

Irene - pronunciation?

108 replies

smartypants1000 · 23/04/2014 23:24

We love the name Irene, but want it pronounced eye-ree-nee. Will she spend her life correcting people who say eye-reen?

Would you spell it Irenie to avoid confusion? I think so but dh thinks not as it "looks made up"!

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fidelineish · 24/04/2014 14:00

Just remembered Irene Handl. She used the three syllable pronounciation.

AuntieStella · 24/04/2014 10:00

I know one who pronounces it Eye-ree-nee and one Eye-reen.

There are quite a few names with more than one possible pronunciation, and if you choose one of them you (and your DC) are inevitably going to have to be ready to explain which it is. So if that would irk you, then perhaps it's worth considering other names.

PatriciaHolm · 24/04/2014 09:59

It may well be possible to pronounce both ways, but as this thread demonstrates, I think the Eye-reen pronunciation is far more popular in the UK. So yes, I think she/you will spend a lot of time "correcting" people.

And as speaking as someone who had a surname no-one can ever say or spell, it's annoying!

AmysTiara · 24/04/2014 09:52

I've only ever heard it pronounced Eye reen sorry.

I'd go for Irini if you're set on the name

InTheMiddleOfOurStreet · 24/04/2014 09:47

I know an Ireni, pronounced as you describe - she is of Greek heritage too.

OwlCapone · 24/04/2014 07:13

Will she spend her life correcting people who say eye-reen

I think so, yes.

I'm with your husband on spelling it Irenie - it does look made up. Probably because it is :) others have suggested foreign spellings that give the pronunciation you want though.

VivaLeBeaver · 24/04/2014 06:36

Have checked online and looks like its spelt Irene. They definitely said Irene-ee in the TV adaptation.

VivaLeBeaver · 24/04/2014 06:34

I know an Eye-reen spell Irene.

Have you looked at the Forsyth Saga? There's an Irenie in there but no idea how its spelt.

Brabra · 24/04/2014 05:47

It is definately eye-ree-nee. Lovely name!

Tenrec · 24/04/2014 05:26

I know an Irene pronounced eye-reen-ee which I love. Can't use it as people would make jokes due to our surname, but I really, really like the name!

NadiaWadia · 24/04/2014 04:13

It is a valid pronunciation, which used to be quite popular. That's why you get the short form Rene, pronounce Ree-nee, as fidelineish said. Apparently the 3 syllable pronunciation is closer to the original Greek, according to my name dictionary. I think they are talking about classical Greek, not modern day, IYKWIM. It also says 'from Greek Eirene 'peace''. A nice meaning.

So I think this 'classic' spelling - Eirene, gives you the 3 syllables you wanted, whereas a lot of people will see Irene and just assume it's I-reen. Could be a solution?

stepmooster · 24/04/2014 02:52

My nan born 1918, yorkshire lady, pronounced eye-reen-ee by anyone who knows her well. Her brother used to call her reen-ee for short.

It's my daughter's middle name and I love it.

nooka · 24/04/2014 02:16

I have a friend called Irene. She is eye-reen. Irenie looks very odd to me, and I think if I came across it I might initially pronounce it with a short 'i' (like ink). I think the OP's dd might well end up with people both mispronouncing and misspelling her name. I've never heard eye-reen-ee.

fidelineish · 24/04/2014 01:56

Go and find an englishwoman in her 80s and ask her OP. They were both common until recently, but due to the written record not being much help on this one, you need a live source. How nice to be able to save a name from extinction.

AdoraBell · 24/04/2014 01:56

The only person I've heard with it not pronounced eye-reen is a Russian woman, and every time DH mentions her I think "no, it's eye-reen, oh wait, it's the Russian woman". She probably is Irini, but my British mind always fills in eye-reen.

LettertoHermioneGranger · 24/04/2014 01:52

I would pronounce Irene as Eye-Reen-Ah usually, it's a fairly common English spelling of a Russian name... at least in my family...

For Eye-Ree-nee, I honestly think you're better off going with Irene pronounced Eye-Reen and using Irenie as a nickname. I really couldn't imagine an adult Irenie - better to give her the choice of a plainer name when she's older.

fidelineish · 24/04/2014 01:52

And for an Irene pronounced Eye-Reen-EE, Rene, pronounced Reen-EE, is a common diminuative.

fidelineish · 24/04/2014 01:49

Both pronounciations are valid for the spelling. I used to know several of each.

TheAwfulDaughter · 24/04/2014 01:14

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TheAwfulDaughter · 24/04/2014 01:14

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Bubblybint · 24/04/2014 01:10

My nan is Italian (lived in England for 40 yrs plus though). English friends call her Eye-ree-nee and Italian call her Ee-Ray-ne. I think Eye-ree-nee is used although the Eye-reen is most common and the one people will assume. I think Irenie looks fine though.

RustyBear · 23/04/2014 23:59

My neighbour's daughter was called Irene, pronounced eye-reenie. In the audiobook of the Forsyte Saga, Irene Forsyte's name is pronounced eye-reen, in the 1967 TV version it's Eye-reenie. Can't remember how the 2002 version said it, but I think it was Eye-reenie. Just because someone hasn't heard of the longer version doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

TheScience · 23/04/2014 23:48

Eirene (eye-ree-nee) is a Greek goddess of peace.

CoffeeChocolateWine · 23/04/2014 23:48

There is such a name as Eye-ree-nee...I used to know one. A Greek girl who spelt her name Irini. But Irene would definitely be pronounced Eye-reen.

TheScience · 23/04/2014 23:46

I would imagine the original name is eye-ree-nee and it has been anglicised to eye-reen.