Page 2 | Need an unbiased opinion on Rhian

squeak2392 · 2014-09-17T02:19:45+00:00

I really like Rhiannon and Rhiannedd, but I've been ignoring Rhian because every one I've known has been a -insert foul word- But thinking about it, it's kinda nice :/ Pn the simple English way since although I currently live in Wales, I am English and baby will probably grow up in England.

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ItsNotEasyBeingGreen · 18/09/2014 23:10

Everyone is going to pronounce it Ree-Ann though, because that's the way it IS pronounced. It may annoy your daughter when she grows up.

I don't like it if I'm honest. Rhiannon is nicer but I'm not a fan of that either.

BreakingBadWind · 18/09/2014 23:06

I am English. And love it. To my ears it is prettier than Rhiannon.

Alisvolatpropiis · 18/09/2014 21:14

Vals

It means Great Godess/Queen, depending on where you look.

I must admit that being Welsh I am more inclined to say Rhee-an than I am Ree-un but my accent isn't very Welsh and I'm not sure whether the two sound very different aloud. Outside of South Wales Rhee-an and Ree-un would souls quite different though.

Highlandbird · 18/09/2014 21:09

I like it but am welsh and can't get my head round pronouncing it any way except the welsh way (Rhee-Anne) it might piss you off if you're in Wales and others pronounce the name in a way you don't like.
Rhiannon is also lovely. I also like Ffion, Branwen, Mari and Carys if that helps at all!

dreamingofsun · 18/09/2014 21:04

was on our list, but we had boys. i still like it. in england its sort of known, but not overly popular - which is one of the many things that appealed

Valsoldknickers · 18/09/2014 20:57

Rhian is lovely. In Ireland the boy's name Rian (translating to Ryan in English) means little king. Just wondering is it the same meaning for Rhian?

Britishseamonkey · 18/09/2014 20:51

I know a very very lovely (and successful!) Rhian! And an equally delightful -although slightly bonkers- Rhiannon - known as Rhia! No negative associations here at all!

BestIsWest · 17/09/2014 17:50

Due a revival I think. I like it.

MissYamabuki · 17/09/2014 17:34

Def a girl's name in my area (quite Welsh) and pronounced Ree-un. Agree that it's a bit 80s. Can be shortened to Rhi which I think is cool.

BTW The rh sound is aspirate not guttural (pedant )

Alisvolatpropiis · 17/09/2014 17:24

I've known lots of girls called Rhian and heard of no boys called Rian.

Depends on where you're from I guess.

goodtimesinbontemps · 17/09/2014 17:23

Rian is an Irish boys name, I have never heard of a girl called Rhian and would assume it was a boy if I heard it?

ralinax294 · 17/09/2014 17:10

I don't have any negative associations with Rhian but just don't really like it as a name. Rhiannon is much nicer.

littlejohnnydory · 17/09/2014 16:37

Definitely don't like it pronounced the way you say - it's a mispronunciation rather than a variant, surely? But then i do come from a very Welsh part of Wales. I much prefer Rhiannon or Rhianydd, there are so many Rhians.

BumpNGrind · 17/09/2014 15:37

I love it, but I much prefer the spelling Rhianydd and I prefer the name in general because it sounds 'finished'. I've lived in both SA and Wales and I only know the name as a girls name, it's very feminine IMO.

Other Welsh girls names I like - Eluned with the nn Leni - one of the coolest people I know has this name. I also like Alys, Cari and Catrin.

Middleagedmotheroftwo · 17/09/2014 15:23

My favourite Welsh girls' names are Catrin and Bethan. But I also like Siwan, Angharad, Bronwen and Sionedd

Alisvolatpropiis · 17/09/2014 15:19

I knew a lovely Rhian if that helps?

Murphy - it's a Welsh girls name.

murphys · 17/09/2014 14:43

The name pronounced at Ree-un, is here is SA a boys name spelt Riaan. It is an Afrikaans name and very popular. Also sometimes changed to Ruaan but also for a boy. I have never heard of it as a girls name to be honest.

thatstoast · 17/09/2014 14:18

I think the pronunciation of Ree-un is fine. I'm in south wales, and it would be pronounced that way rather than Rhi-anne by most people (or maybe somewhere between the two based on their accent). I probably wouldn't pick it for someone who was going to grow up in England, as I don't like names that have the potential to be mispronounced/misspelled.

Safe welsh names for people living in England seem to be Ffion, Cerys and Seren. My favourite welsh girl's name is Anwen.

Original poster

squeak2392 · 17/09/2014 14:05

Thanks for the responses :)

I also really like Ariane, so that's probably more likely, but I thought I'd get an opinion on Rhian anyway :)

nooka It wouldn't be pn the Welsh way partly because I don't like the Rh sound and partly because many English people wouldn't know to/be able to (myself included :P ) pn the Rh sound. It's like a rolled R sound, but more guttural than the French R sound. I went to school in Wales and the only person I've ever met who actually pn it the Welsh way was a native Welsh speaker, and even he didn't always do it.

RE boys name, I've never heard of Ryan being pn with a Ree sound. I've seen the name Rian, but on a boy it seems to be pn Ryan. I've seen Rian on girls before but I know sometimes it's actually pn Ryan and they're just trying to make it seem more feminine, so it really confuses me and I wouldn't use that spelling.

Rhianne seems unfinished and clumsy to me. Plus it sounds like Liane.

OP posts:

Original poster

squeak2392 · 17/09/2014 14:04

Thanks for the responses :)

I also really like Ariane, so that's probably more likely, but I thought I'd get an opinion on Rhian anyway :)

nooka It wouldn't be pn the Welsh way partly because I don't like the Rh sound and partly because many English people wouldn't know to/be able to (myself included :P ) pn the Rh sound. It's like a rolled R sound, but more guttural than the French R sound. I went to school in Wales and the only person I've ever met who actually pn it the Welsh way was a native Welsh speaker, and even he didn't always do it.

RE boys name, I've never heard of Ryan being pn with a Ree sound. I've seen the name Rian, but on a boy it seems to be pn Ryan. I've seen Rian on girls before but I know sometimes it's actually pn Ryan and they're just trying to make it seem more feminine, so it really confuses me and I wouldn't use that spelling.

Rhianne seems unfinished and clumsy to me. Plus it sounds like Liane.

OP posts:

cherrybombxo · 17/09/2014 10:24

Hmm, I knew someone called Rhianne, which sounds more feminine. I think it's quite nice but probably more boy-ish.

Welliesandpyjamas · 17/09/2014 06:08

The name is due a revival! It was the welsh equivalent to Emma or Sarah in the 80s usually at least one Rhian in every year, along with a Nia and a Sian

It's a pretty name pronounced the Welsh way.

KatieKaye · 17/09/2014 05:59

I'd never heard of it. It looks like a boys name to me. Which is fine if you are having a boy but not great for a girl.

nooka · 17/09/2014 05:52

Ree-un also sounds much uglier to me than Ri-anne, I'm not sure why you would choose a Welsh name and not pronounce it the Welsh way?

rootypig · 17/09/2014 05:47

I don't like it. I knew a terrible Rhian and it sounds unfinished to me. Hard to know where the emphasis falls.