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Baby names

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

Name spelling rules

170 replies

AngSam · 21/02/2020 17:06

I have a question. Are there any rules on spelling and pronouncing names? How about correcting people on how to spell and pronounce names, would you bother?
Example, girl named Joan (general pronouncing sounds like John) but her is Jo An?
Or Laura not Lora but LAUra
Your thoughts?

OP posts:
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SoupDragon · 23/02/2020 16:55

Louis is Looee. Lewis is Looiss.

GreenTulips · 23/02/2020 16:52

Louis sound similar to Louise

TatianaLarina · 23/02/2020 16:45

Louis is pronounced Lou-is in almost all countries outside of France! It's very popular in Germany (pronounced Lou-is) for example and Americans call the city in Missouri St Lou-is!

Not almost all, no. France and England it’s Looee (apart from the British who don’t realise its Looee). In the US it’s Loo-is if the people are not Europhiles/speak French and Looee if they are. In Germany it’s Looees. In Spain and S.America it’s Looees or Low ees.

Given that is a famous French name I think the French pronunciation gets first dibs.

Muddlingalongalone · 23/02/2020 16:41

@Marcipex Dd2 has a boy with this in her class - drives me nuts!

SayNoToCarrots · 23/02/2020 16:38

I'm struggling to think of words with the sound I use for Dora when said with a Scottish accent.

SoupDragon · 23/02/2020 16:36

door is a completely different sound to both doe and dough for me.

This is where pronunciation threads are interesting yet utterly pointless! 😂 I find myself putting on really dodgy regional accents to try and make the sounds.

dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:34

Dora and Door-a sound the same to me (door as in door to the house)

dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:32

The start sounds the same but door has an 'r' at the end that I would sound

SayNoToCarrots · 23/02/2020 16:31

I say dora just like laura but with a d instead of an l.

SayNoToCarrots · 23/02/2020 16:29

Do door and dough have the same sounds for you?

dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:28

That's what I'm saying - dough and doe are the same sounds and how I would start Dora

dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:27

How do you say Dora then as I cant think of another way to say it

SoupDragon · 23/02/2020 16:27

Its dough as in bread dough or doe as in a female deer

Both those are the same pronunciation for me 😂

Disfordarkchocolate · 23/02/2020 16:25

I've would never ever imagine anyone would say Dough-ra. Hey ho.

AngSam · 23/02/2020 16:23

@whiskeysourpuss so like polish female called Laura would be pronounced Lah-wra, in Scotland I hear it as Lora rhyme with Dora.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:23

Yes I am

SayNoToCarrots · 23/02/2020 16:22

Hold on wait - are you Scottish?

SayNoToCarrots · 23/02/2020 16:22

The 'plor' rhymes with door, but maybe you say door differently!

this should be a link to the google pronunciation which is the same as mine.

dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:15

I do start it like exploded. How do you start it?
Yes I'd say Dough-reen

SayNoToCarrots · 23/02/2020 16:13

If I try to make it rhyme I have to start explorer like I am going to say exploded.

Doh-ra the Exploh-ra.

What about Doreen? Is that Dough-reen?

dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:09

It doesnt rhyme completely but is close. How are you sounding the Dough bit? Its dough as in bread dough or doe as in a female deer

SayNoToCarrots · 23/02/2020 16:04

Dough-ra?? Then how the hell does it rhyme with "The Explorer?"

dementedpixie · 23/02/2020 16:04

I agree with those pronunciations whiskeysourpuss

whiskeysourpuss · 23/02/2020 15:57

Disfordarkchocolate I say Law-ra & Dough-ra so completely different sounds

Disfordarkchocolate · 23/02/2020 15:48

I can't even imagine how to say Laura so it doesn't rhyme with Dora. Off to Google different pronunciations.