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Baby names

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

Original poster

Names you aren't sure how to pronounce

387 replies

whatausername · 10/04/2020 20:22

Since we're all inside for the foreseeable future...

What are some names you're not quite sure how to pronounce? We'll see if we can help each other. But do take answers with a pinch of salt given the wide variety of accents we all have!

For me: Hebe (hee-bee?) and João leave me feeling uncertain.

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LadyEloise · 21/04/2020 16:18

I don't know where that Jess came from Boscoismyspiritualanimal.

An English mother - shure no wonder she has notions. Smile

AngelaScandal · 21/04/2020 14:19

English mother

LadyEloise · 21/04/2020 13:53

Jess Boscoismyspiritualanimal*
I presume your friend was in the UK.
Putting a name like that on a child in Ireland back in the day would have people saying you had notions.

And having notions is a very bad sin in Ireland. Grin

AngelaScandal · 21/04/2020 11:07

Sheh -hair- a - zad ( I think. My friend was almost called Sheherazade but her mother opted for the more sensible Janet)

LadyEloise · 21/04/2020 08:39

Sheherazade

HarrietM87 · 17/04/2020 09:11

@whatausername I think both teen and tyne are acceptable so you just have to ask!

Original poster
whatausername · 16/04/2020 22:56

Clementine

Clem-en-teen or clem-en-tyne?

OP posts:
Cnoc · 16/04/2020 20:10

Yes, I think he was a Galway Lynch on his father’s side, generations back.

Heygirlheyboy · 16/04/2020 19:25

GrinGrin

All joking aside, I think there was an Irish rebel link with him. Like the name cnoc Wink

Cnoc · 16/04/2020 19:19

There used to be a Cuban-Irish pub in Bratislava called O'Ché's. Grin

Heygirlheyboy · 16/04/2020 16:42

Ché as in Ché Guevara is Shay afaik, Irish origins again there Grin

Nostradamuswept · 16/04/2020 04:32

Eithne

HarrietM87 · 15/04/2020 21:15

Thanks @mathanxiety and phew! I guess some people anglicise Caoimhe as Keavy so it’s the same kind of thing. And I’d definitely say it as more of an “uh” at the end than and “a”.

leasedaudi · 15/04/2020 20:38

Ché

Any Irish / Gaelic names (I'm sorry)

Most people struggle with my name and call it a slightly different name. As a result i will only choose simple names for my kids!

mathanxiety · 15/04/2020 19:57

I have a feeling that the 't' in Eithne shouldn't really be pronounced in the Irish language anyway? I could be wrong though.

Yes, the Enyeh (Enya) pronunciation is far truer to Irish than Eth-na.

I’m considering Ailbhe for my next baby (early days atm so have time!). I have a friend called this who pronounces it Alva. But I have an Irish name book which has it as “Alvy” or “Elvy” phonetically - that’s not right is it?!
I went to school with two Alvys, weirdly enough, and I knew a woman named Alvy whose married name was Alvy Alvey. She would be at least 110 now if still alive and maybe keeping your own name wasn't a thing when she got married. In Irish it's Ailbhe = 'Al-veh'.

I also knew a male Ailbe who pronounced it AIL-bee, which isn't right.

Heygirlheyboy · 15/04/2020 19:46

I should add I know it's not Italian (Latin?) but obviously associated with the story of Rome, Romolo e Remo.

Heygirlheyboy · 15/04/2020 19:43

Remus is Ray-mus not Ree-mus, e in Italian is pronounced 'ay'.

florascotia2 · 15/04/2020 19:17

sugarcherry Gidas = appox Gweltaaz
He's a very ancient British (geographically speaking) writer.

Geepipe · 15/04/2020 19:11

This thread is fascinating. Gaelic is a wonderful language yet so hard to grasp for anyone not familiar with it.

LizzieAnt · 15/04/2020 18:59
Grin It's pronounced Teer nuh Nogue, sort of.
MikeUniformMike · 15/04/2020 18:54

too not to. I'm not that lazy.

MikeUniformMike · 15/04/2020 18:53

I was to lazy to look for the alt codes

LizzieAnt · 15/04/2020 18:52

Yes, but it's written Tír na nÓg.

MikeUniformMike · 15/04/2020 18:44

tir na n'og is land of the young isn't it.?

LadyEloise · 15/04/2020 18:15

I never heard of the name Gildas sugarcherry