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Baby names

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Original poster

Kacpar

141 replies

Theresacatinmywashing · 18/09/2014 14:30

I've just had an email announcement from a friend (her DD has just given birth).

Its Casper isn't it? They called the kid Casper but spelt it Kacpar. I'm going to do a bland congrats reply and not even mention it.

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SunshineOutdoors · 18/09/2014 21:46

It's not so much the not knowing how it's pronounced, it's the kind of sniggering. If it is kack-parr then the correct response is 'how lovely, congratulations'

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 21:44

I think if you moved to a country where your name meant shit you'd either not move there or adopt a different name rather than expect a whole country to change to accommodate you.

CorporateRockWhore · 18/09/2014 21:42

In what was is it obviously not pronounced Kacpar when it's spelled Kacpar?

I'm not being sarky, I genuinely want to know why we are all supposed to be wonderfully multicultural and intuitive so that we know the proper pronunciation of all foreign names, lest we be accused of being parochial or faintly racist?

Seriously, you've never looked at a new word and mispronounced it? It doesn't make it different because it's a name.

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 21:41

Tbh I genuinely did think it was pronounced cackpar until told otherwise, because phonetically that is how you'd expect it to be said. Simple as that.

DonnaLyman · 18/09/2014 21:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 21:39

I know one Bernard.

SunshineOutdoors · 18/09/2014 21:38

I've never met a Bernard

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 21:37

I live in Cornwall and have lived in Bristol and in Wales and have never met a Kacpar or indeed a Casper.

LynetteScavo · 18/09/2014 21:36

There's a Kacpar in DD's class, as well as an Erik and a Klaus. There are several Oskars in her school.

I also know a Caspar.

SunshineOutdoors · 18/09/2014 21:35

I think sniggering about baby names is pretty not on. It is obviously not 'cack-parr'. Would you ever seriously meet an adult who has a name you haven't come across before and laugh about the spelling of it? It reminds me of something horrible people at high school do.

Think about how lovely little babies are and how they'll all grow into their name.

Even little Mowgli out of The Archers sounds cute to me now I've heard it a few times, and when he grows up it will be his name. (I hope they didn't change it, I haven't caught up on last week's episodes.)

When I meet people with unusual names or spellings I just think it's kind of cool.

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 21:35

It's not difficult to pronounce once you're told. Jeez, you wonder if people in Poland are so precious about our heritage and pronouncing things correctly...

CorporateRockWhore · 18/09/2014 21:32

Well, it is difficult to pronounce until someone tells you how to! That's kind of how unfamiliar stuff works, you're unfamiliar with it until you get familiar with it.

I don't think it's out of order to suggest that people may not get the pronunciation right on first sight.

MrSheen · 18/09/2014 21:32

I live in a northern mining town and I know 4 of them. It is an odd choice of spelling for people with no Polish background though, surely.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 18/09/2014 21:29

Well said Sandberry!

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 18/09/2014 21:28

I would pronounce it Caspar, but I have a Caspar so would notice the similarity.

I do have an Eirik though, and am seriously thinking of removing the first i as no one pronounces or spells it right so I feel bad for him.

CatKisser · 18/09/2014 21:27

Because I have more than a scrap of common sense and can see a name like "Kacpar" and think "oh, I've never heard of anyone called 'Cack-par,' perhaps it's a foreign name - oh wait, it could be Casper."

TheFallenMadonna · 18/09/2014 21:26

Kacper is a very common name around these parts (not London). I had no difficulty working out how it was pronounced when I saw it on a register for the first time. And it is not in the least bit "difficult to pronounce" Hmm

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 21:24

It's not an 'attitude'. Cackpar is the way it would be mainly be pronounced in Britain unless people are told otherwise. We don't live in Poland. Why are you shocked by the English language?

CatKisser · 18/09/2014 21:16

Donna, I'm totally with you. Shocked by the attitudes on this thread.
Cack Par?! Hmm

Meglet · 18/09/2014 21:14

It's Polish isn't it?

DonnaLyman · 18/09/2014 21:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CorporateRockWhore · 18/09/2014 20:51

sandberry people are free to choose the Polish spelling if they wish, as they have clearly done here.

However, they should sort of expect to deal with people finding it unusual and difficult to pronounce, for the rest of their child's life.

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 20:49

But fyi kacper is not the 'normal' spelling in this country

Gemerama82 · 18/09/2014 20:47

Just an opinion that personally I'd try and fit in with the culture I lived in. Makes it easier for the child. But I live in a not very multi cultural area and I know that where I live the name would cause confusion.

Don't feel the same re naimh, aoife or pheobe. I suppose because they are all familiar.

sandberry · 18/09/2014 20:39

I'd pronounce it as Casper but then I live in London and Kacper seems like the normal spelling, why should people of Polish heritage go with the English spelling?
Why should people not of Polish heritage not choose the Polish spelling if they wish?
Should people of Irish heritage or not spell Niahm, Neve because people can't be arsed to learn the proper spelling, should all Aoife's become Eefa and Phoebe's be Feebe.