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Baby names

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

Original poster

Xanthe or Ianthe?

106 replies

CalamityJess · 26/05/2019 21:59

What do you think of these names and which do you prefer?

(Pronounced ZAN-thee and eye-AN-thee)

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IHeartArya · 27/05/2019 07:52

Unless you are Greek neither.

Greek people aren’t really using these names any more unless they have to.

I’m Greek - I’ve had a life time of a similar name in the U.K. it’s awful - having to spell first name & surname. No one pronouncing either properly. Having it said differently in Greek & English. Just so you can give your child a lifetime of an unusual name. Selfish beyond belief.

At least my parents have the excuse of naming after their parents. (Traditionally Greeks name their dcs after their parents).

So unless you have a parent named Xanthe or Xanthos - Greeks will think you are a fool.

daisypond · 27/05/2019 07:51

Xanthe. I know an adult one. It’s not that uncommon. Ianthe is fine but I find it too bland with all those softer sounds. Xanthe has more oomph.

OlafLovesAnna · 27/05/2019 07:47

I have a Xanthe, I still love it and she's 6 now.

She is very attached to the X in her name and started recognising her own name from quite a young age as there aren't many words in English that start with an X.

I do like Ianthe too but didn't go with it due to the I/L issue that can make it difficult for people to recognise.

TildaTurnip · 27/05/2019 07:44

Xanthe. I really dislike Ianthe - even how it looks.

ffs74 · 27/05/2019 07:39

@indigo13 really? I have a very unusual surname. I would never presume that anyone would magically know how to pronounce it! What an odd thing to say.

indigo13 · 27/05/2019 07:26

The embarrassment should be on the adult working in a school who can't pronounce names!

Xanthe and Ianthe are not difficult, weird or unpronounceable at all, where have you been?!

Ps, I prefer Xanthe

littlem133 · 27/05/2019 07:15

Xanthe- love it

ffs74 · 27/05/2019 07:08

@EdtheBear I agree! I work in a school and the children with unusual/quirky or hard to pronounce names, clearly hate that they have been condemned to a lifetime of people mispronouncing or laughing at their names.
Assembly is particularly hard for them, you can see how embarrassed they are when their name is called out incorrectly by someone unfamiliar to them!

EmmaGrundyForPM · 27/05/2019 07:01

Ianthe is lovely. I dont really like Xanthe.

MoreSlidingDoors · 27/05/2019 06:59

Not helpful I know, but did you want weird , unpronounceable names?

They’re some of the oldest names in the world. Perhaps you need to expand your knowledge. It may help you to be slightly less rude?

MoreSlidingDoors · 27/05/2019 06:57

Being curious which language are they from?

They’re Greek.

I love Xanthe. And also Xanthippe.

EdtheBear · 27/05/2019 06:53

I don't really like either of them. Your kid will have a lifetime of misprouncations and "how do you spell it".
Being curious which language are they from?

I am dyslexic which doesn't really help. However reading them without hints, I had something sounding like Zante as in the Greek Island. The other one I read as some version of Lance / Lanthe then realise it was meant to be an I and ended up with Ian-the, Ian as in the Gealic version of John and theConfused

miamiibiza · 27/05/2019 06:36

Xanthe

Malyshek · 27/05/2019 06:04

Not helpful I know, but did you want weird , unpronounceable names?

There are plenty of irish, scottish and ethnic names way harder to pronounce than Ianthe. Why is it acceptable to call someone Aoife or Siobhan (where the spelling doesn't reflect the pronunciation at all) and not Ianthe (where I can in fact guess correctly the pronunciation) ?

NannyRed · 27/05/2019 05:59

Oops, thought this was going to be about sleeping tablet brands.

Not helpful I know, but did you want weird , unpronounceable names?

Whatareyoutalkingabout · 27/05/2019 05:43

Ianthe

Runnerjellybean · 27/05/2019 03:30

I LOVE LOVE Xanthe

OwlBeThere · 27/05/2019 03:27

Ooh I really like both. I think Ianthe just wins.

SleepWarrior · 27/05/2019 00:36

My actual favourite is Evanthe (or even Evadne). Both of your choices are lovely though. I'd choose Xanthe if pushed, just because in most fonts a capital I looks like an L and makes Ianthe harder to read.

TurquoiseAndPurple · 27/05/2019 00:32

Xanthe by miles ❤️

Watersnail · 26/05/2019 23:16

Xanthe

DramaAlpaca · 26/05/2019 23:04

I like both, but probably prefer Xanthe.

OhMyDarling · 26/05/2019 23:04

Xanthie

Shadow1234 · 26/05/2019 23:03

Xanthe

Miljah · 26/05/2019 22:53

I keep seeing 'Lanthee'.

Prefer Xanthe, but both are fine imo.