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Baby names

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Original poster

Everyone will pronounce it wrong 'Ophelia'

42 replies

pinksodabubbles · 14/04/2019 20:12

Hi all,

So I'm due in 2 weeks and want to name my daughter Ophelia. I'm from England and speak fluent Spanish, having studied it and lived there for a year.

The Spanish pronounciation is Oh-fell-ee-ah, which is what I want but I don't like the Spanish spelling (Ofelia, like in El Labarinto del fauno). Everywhere else seems to pronounce it Oh-feel-ya which I don't want.

Is there a way to get everyone to pronounce her name the way I like it (Spanish style) without changing to the Spanish spelling? (I have synaesthesia and mild autism if that helps explain why I'm picky on the spelling and the colours of the spelling put me off).

Would 'Ophélia' be better? With the accent on the e to show emphasis?

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Bumblebeesmum · 15/04/2019 15:50

People who don’t know you would pronounce it wrong but anyone who knew you friends family etc would just learn how you want it pronounced - so it’s up to you whether it would bother you. Yes it’ll get pronounced incorrectly anytime someone reads it out - the first time a teacher does a register etc. I have an unusual spelling that I spent my childhood correcting & ive never known any different so it didn’t really bother me. If you’d find it frustrating or upsetting then definitely don’t choose it.

babysharkah · 15/04/2019 15:48

I have never heard it pronounced oh feel ya.

Tiramisu1 · 15/04/2019 11:01

In German it's also pronounced Oph-eh-Lee-ah so the second syllable is more of an eh sound rather than ee.

Lwmommy · 15/04/2019 00:37

Sorry if this is an annoying question but i'm fascinated. My daughter is Alexandra shortened to Lex, what does her name look like with synesthesia?

You'll find with many names that people dont pronounce it the way you would, if ultimately its the name you like then just accept that you'll need to correct people, also that your DD may choose to change the pronunciation to one you don't like at some point.

donajimena · 15/04/2019 00:15

Lovely name but terrible idea if you wanted it pronounced differently. I have Spanish family and love the name Belen (can't do accents on letters on phone sorry) I just knew it was going to be pronounced like Helen which undoubtedly would have been turned into bellend by high school. As it was turned out I had boys..

MollyYouInDangerGirl · 15/04/2019 00:14

I don't actually pronounce it oh-feel-ya like you said above, I pronouncd it slightly differently: oh-feel-ee-ah. To me it has 4 syllables, but I would pronounce the second syllable as "feel" not "fell".

Smumzo · 15/04/2019 00:11

All I can hear is the Lumineers song "oh-oh-feel-ia"! That and the poster my roommate at uni had of her under the water...either way it's not good.

OopsOhNoZHM · 15/04/2019 00:07

I think it’s a gorgeous name, I do associate it with Hamlet, but more so Pan’s Labyrinth (awesome film). But I’m biased as that and Aurelia were on my list 🙊 Unfortunately, I think the only way you’re going to get people to pronounce it the way you want is to spell it phonetically, so Ofellia/Ophellia, and even then it’s likely people would assume it was a typo and pronounce it Oh-fee-lee-ah.

pinkboa · 14/04/2019 22:43

I've only ever known it as the Spanish pronunciation....

Very odd it's pronounced differently I would have thought the spelling would suggest it's eh-ah and not "ya".

Wheresmyvagina · 14/04/2019 22:06

Fifi is fine. Phi-phi is vomitous.

Original poster
pinksodabubbles · 14/04/2019 21:32

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom No, like I say, I forgot they gave it an English title too. I watched it in Spain and just always think of it in Spanish that's all.

Thanks for all the opinions on it everyone. Need to have a chat with hubby I think 🤣

OP posts:
Tiramisu1 · 14/04/2019 21:30

Oh-feel-ee-ah

Tiramisu1 · 14/04/2019 21:29

I would pronounce Ophelia like Of-elia to rhyme with Delia.

BertrandRussell · 14/04/2019 21:27

Phi-Phi should go to Phuket for her holidays........

borntobequiet · 14/04/2019 21:26

I used to know a Fiona who was generally called Fifi, which is pretty much the same, and was OK.

Wheresmyvagina · 14/04/2019 21:22

Phi-phi
Hmm
Really?

shewhocan · 14/04/2019 21:16

I really like the Spanish version, but please don't spell it the English way and expect it to be pronounced differently. I have that name. Parents chose an unusual name and got the pronunciation wrong (or missed out a letter). I have
Spent my life correcting people. I now rarely go by my name, just my initials.

whitehalleve · 14/04/2019 21:14

I just always want to say Ophelia butt. It's such a burlesque ready name

DarlingLittleBabyName · 14/04/2019 21:07

I’ve only ever encountered is as oh-feel-ee-ah. thats the way i would say it. your DD is going to be correcting people her whole life! either a) find another name you like as much, b) call her Ophelia but pronounced oh FEEL ia, c) call her Ophelia pronounced oh FELL ia as you wanted and sentence her to a life of “no its said this way”. any way you go, good luck!! xx

Quartz2208 · 14/04/2019 20:53

Who on earth pronounces it Oh-feel-ya

I agree with Where its O fee lia or as Tartyflette says to rhyme with Delia

More Oh-feel-ee-ah rather than Oh-fell-ee-ah

LuluBellaBlue · 14/04/2019 20:51

I love this name and it’s on my girls list, I knew one too NN Phi-Phi.

I know two cousins both called Leila.
One pronounced Layla, the other Lee-la

Tbh I don’t see how this is much different? Pronounce her name and spell it however you want! Flowers

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom · 14/04/2019 20:51

So you are English, you live in England except for the year you lived in Spain but you didn't know that in England the massively popular film pans labyrinth was called pans labyrinth in the uk so you wrote the obviously lesser known Spanish title and didn't think people would be confused?

For what it's worth where I live the name would be pronounced o fee Lia or (although they sound the same) o fee leea

daisypond · 14/04/2019 20:48

I thought it was an acute accent, in the french way. I didn’t know Spanish has accents for stress.

Tartyflette · 14/04/2019 20:43

Dammit. Crosspost queen strikes again ☺️

Tartyflette · 14/04/2019 20:42

Huh? Correct or not it's mostly pronounced the same as Delia.

I've certainly never heard RSC actresses saying "i'm playing Ofellia at the Old Vic."