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Baby names

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Original poster

Aneirin- can we? Welsh opinions particularly needed

67 replies

Smizzlediz · 23/12/2018 09:08

Finally found a name that DH and I both love but there are several things about it that make me think it could be a bad idea:

Pronunciation: we’re English, we want it to be A-nye-rin but is it really? Or are we butchering a lovely Welsh name? I’ve read mixed things about whether it’s more a-neigh-rin in a Welsh accent.

Spelling: I know the far more common spelling is Aneurin, but again I’ve seen it suggested that Aneirin is acceptable, if a very old version. Welsh mumsnetters what do you think? I prefer this spelling as I think it’s more phonetically plausible in English, and could help avoid ‘it’s like aneurism’ comments/pronunciation from reading.

Cultural appropriation: we’re not Welsh and the baby will spend at least his early years in England. Are we trying to twist a Welsh name to fit into the way we speak/read? Are our Welsh relatives and everyone we meet when we visit them going to think we’re idiots at best? (Don’t want to ask the relatives yet btw as would rather not discuss in real life if poss)

What do you think? Opinions welcome from all but I’m particularly interested in what you think if you’re Welsh!

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RoomWithALoon · 24/12/2018 07:47

I think it depends whose opinion matters to you more: people who've never heard of Aneurin Bevan or people who know how to spell. I know which camp I would rather have think I was "wrong", but I am an unreconstructed intellectual snob!

ChaosMoon · 24/12/2018 07:45

Ok, first, bridgetreilly is right about it being two names. The "eu" spelling roughly means golden while the "ei" spelling comes from the word eira, meaning snow.

MikeUniformMike is right about the pronunciation.

Among first language Welsh speakers (north and south) both are said more like the "neigh" / "nay" spelling. But I know plenty of Welsh people whose first language is English who would pronounce it nye. Probably because of the anglicisation of Nye Bevans name in the press , and the weird way Welsh is taught in schools.

Sashkin · 24/12/2018 01:27

And Kristofer is Scandinavian. If you are going to bitch about misspelled names, maybe check you aren’t being racist first.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 24/12/2018 01:15

I’ve never heard this name before but it sounds beautiful. Especially the nickname “nye” (how well does nye bevan roll off the tongue!) it’s really lovely OP.

Btw And a Dillon.

Dillon is a correct and traditional spelling of the name in Ireland.

gobbin · 24/12/2018 01:02

I have a Nye too, without the longer version. Stay short!

missedith01 · 24/12/2018 00:14

I have a Nye (Aneurin spelling). People sometimes don't know the name at all, others know it and say, oh, like Nye Bevan? (which is fine because that's why we chose it). It often gets misspelt, as in Nie, Ni, Nial ... that's about all I can say. Go for it, it's a lovely name and there aren't enough Nyes!

BitOutOfPractice · 24/12/2018 00:07

Aneurin IS well known in England.

BitOutOfPractice · 24/12/2018 00:06

It's a gorgeous name. But spell it Aneurin please!!

snidgetowl · 23/12/2018 23:56

As a fluent Welsh speaker I would definitely pronounce the name as "Ah-Neigh-Rin" and would not think to use the "Nye" sound. I know people of both spellings however, so the "Aneirin" would be perfectly fine to use.

bridgetreilly · 23/12/2018 23:44

The Aneirin and Aneurins I know definitely pronounce their names differently, though I agree my attempts at phonetic spelling are not 100% accurate. They aren't the same, though.

Original poster
Smizzlediz · 23/12/2018 22:32

Thank you for your input everyone! We’ve got another 3 months to think about it so I think we’ll keep it on the list for now and come back to it closer to the time.

Open to other suggestions too, though that may be something for another thread!

OP posts:
MikeUniformMike · 23/12/2018 18:13

They are different spellings of the same name. Neither of bridgetreilly's pronunciation are spot on. The pronunciation of Aneurin and Aneirin is pretty much the same.
There are other names that have this two ways of spelling e.g. Eirwen and Eurwen.

bridgetreilly · 23/12/2018 15:34

Aneirin and Aneurin are different names, pronounced differently (An-air-in or An-eye-rin respectively). You can't spell it Aneirin and pronounce it Aneurin, or vice versa. Pick one and stick with it.

ZebraKid71 · 23/12/2018 14:37

If u saw aneiren written down I wouldn't assume it was the same name. Id probably actually think its a female name as it looks like a combination of Ann and Erin.

Stick with the nye bevan spelling, it's lovely.

MikeUniformMike · 23/12/2018 14:33

I'll add, that his poetry can be read by Welsh speakers.

JennyOnAPlate · 23/12/2018 14:33

It's a lovely name. As a welsh person I would assume that you've spelled it incorrectly though...I've only ever seen it with a u.

MikeUniformMike · 23/12/2018 14:30

The poet was Aneirin. He was born in 525 AD. He wasn't Welsh.
Use the name, it's nice.

glitterbiscuits · 23/12/2018 14:00

It's Aneurin.
Apologies for the earlier spelling error. I was typing in anger on a tiny phone.
One of my pet hates is people who take an ordinary name and try to give it a twist.
I know a Phebe ( no O); Eveie ( extra e), Kristopher. And a Dillon.

Aneurin is a lovely name if spelled properly.

Phillipa12 · 23/12/2018 13:35

My mum called her welsh terrier Nye, everybody who met him asked if it was short for Aneurin Bevan. I love the name whether it be for a dog or child!

masterstef · 23/12/2018 13:32

Oh and my friend with the ds Aneirin is Welsh.

masterstef · 23/12/2018 13:31

@glitterbiscuits

Are you maintaining that the correct traditional spelling is anuerin? I've not seen that before.
See en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aneurin_Bevan - he presumably had the unacceptable spelling?

OP, Aneirin is perfectly fine. As you can see even traditionalists can't agree on the 'proper' spelling!

Original poster
Smizzlediz · 23/12/2018 12:49

Hmm I think you’ve confirmed at least one of the issues-

Aneurin isn’t well known enough to English people to make it unlikely to be pronounced an-ure-in if reading it... I don’t think I can do that to him. I agree that people should know it, because of Nye Bevan, but I’m not sure many will, I’m including my DH in this, as he knew Nye but didn’t know it was short for Aneurin.

BUT it looks like the way round that, to spell it Aneirin, isn’t commonly recognised as an accepted spelling in Wales. I don’t want to look like we’ve made it up or are trying to be ‘unique’.

So the dilemma continues! Glad to hear it’s an acceptable name for an English boy/man though, that’s one worry off the list at least!

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 23/12/2018 12:41

Niamh and Siobhan have become pretty well established in England.

I think we’ll be able to handle Aneurin nn Nye, particularly since there is famous one we should all know!

Stick to the proper Welsh spelling though. Just explain the pronounciation to anyone who has trouble.

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 23/12/2018 12:38

I love the name but you're going to set your baby up for a lifetime of having to spell their name everytime they meet someone, use their name on the phone etc... (Unless they actually live in Wales!)
So I wouldn't.

CloserIAm2Fine · 23/12/2018 12:33

I’m English but have lived in Wales all my adult life

If you’re going to use a Welsh name then please spell it correctly!