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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Anais

36 replies

d1157230986361b000875 · 11/04/2015 15:01

Partner really likes this name for a girl, as he lived in France for a few years when younger so pronounces it the correct way Ah-Nay-Ees, where as I want to pronounce it an-nays, and I think where we live (UK) people would pronounce it the same way as me.

I think the spelling and name is pretty and the meaning (very important to us). However not sure it goes with our children Charlie and Tilly.

How would you pronounce it?
Does it 'go' with our children's names?

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bobajob · 13/04/2015 17:04

I really doubt anything near "most people" have heard of Anais Nin!

squoosh · 13/04/2015 12:06

People never pronounced the perfume correctly in its 1980's heyday.

IsadoraQuagmire · 13/04/2015 11:59

There's a character in the Chalet School books called Annis.

Minitant · 13/04/2015 05:57

There's an old English name - Annis - that you might want to consider as an alternative.

nooka · 13/04/2015 05:52

I immediately thought of Anais Anais, but in my mind that's pronounced Anne-ay Anne-ay. I just watched an advert to get the right pronunciation and the 'an-nay-ees' pronunciation sounds really wrong to me and also quite unattractive.

IsadoraQuagmire · 13/04/2015 00:13

But it's not very uncommon. There's an old perfume called Anais Anais, and most people must have heard of Anais Nin even if they haven't read her.

Snowflake15 · 12/04/2015 15:08

Way*

Snowflake15 · 12/04/2015 15:08

I love Anaïs but would definitely pronounce it the French way - An-eye-es

But it's up to you still nice either wat

HazleNutt · 12/04/2015 15:07

I don't think it's odd that people don't know how to pronounce foreign names. I do find it odd that when people decide to name their child that, they still don't bother to find out and just make up a pronunciation.

IvoryMadonna · 12/04/2015 14:59

Yes, and it breaks the usual French rule that the last letter is not sounded. That's why a lot of people get it wrong. They assume the 's' is silent.

I don't think people mispronounce it "intentionally" as someone suggested earlier.

KeturahLee · 12/04/2015 14:38

Why is it odd that people don't know how to pronounce it? It's an uncommon name from a different language.

IsadoraQuagmire · 12/04/2015 14:34

Odd that so many people don't know how to pronounce it correctly Shock Always makes me think of Anais in Claudine à l’école though.

Original poster
d1157230986361b000875 · 12/04/2015 10:42

Told my sister and she straight away found the 'anus' connection! Which has put me right off. She also didn't know how to pronounce it either!
Agree Squoosh - When OH says it in french accent it sounds lovey- but I am English and therefore it doesn't have that loveliness about it!

I don't think it is the 'right' name for me personally :)

OP posts:
charlyn · 11/04/2015 23:09

I agree with most other posters. Its a lovely name but the pronunciation issues would put me off. I know a 5 year old Anais whose mother pronounces it Annay.

Steben · 11/04/2015 20:34

Every time I hear it I think anus

HorraceTheOtter · 11/04/2015 18:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BossWitch · 11/04/2015 18:44

Also agree about the pp's idea that children's names don't need to 'go together'. I knew a brother and sister once called Frank and Mercedes. It caused a few giggles, but it didn't actually matter and it never bothered them!

HazleNutt · 11/04/2015 18:43

On my list, pronounced the correct way. I really don't get all those British Anay's, taking an actual name and intentionally mispronouncing it - like saying my name is Jessica, but pronounced Julie.

If you like Anay, what about Anya instead?

BossWitch · 11/04/2015 18:42

It's very pretty but I wouldn't have known how to say it - prob would have gone with ah-nace but I think I'm being especially thick on this one, so ignore that!

Be ready for mean boys (and possibly girls) nick naming her Anus, however.

iwouldgoouttonight · 11/04/2015 18:36

It's a lovely name but I know a 5 year old called Anais and everyone pronounces it an-ay. So your DD might have to correct people, but then once you've told people once hopefully they'll remember! I have a DD with a fairly common name and some people spell or pronounce that wrong so you can't win Smile

squoosh · 11/04/2015 18:08

Lovely name but loses a lot of its loveliness when spoken in a non French accent.

Ask ten people in the UK to say Anais and you will probably get ten separate pronunciations.

TheHumblePotato · 11/04/2015 18:06

Lovely name but I agree with you that if you live in UK then most likely people will pronounce it the way you do. I have a name that 'works' in English but when I lived in France I was constantly correcting people. It didn't bother me in the slightest after the 100th time

MamaLazarou · 11/04/2015 17:47

Lovely name ruined by Anglicised pronunciation, IMO

KeturahLee · 11/04/2015 17:39

Hopefully more people would think of Gumball than Erotica!

IvoryMadonna · 11/04/2015 16:42

I don't think it's a name that works very well outside francophone countries, as there is a very particular pronunciation which most people will get wrong.

An uncommon but similar English name (I've only ever met one) is Annis. Nobody's likely to get that wrong.