Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Verily1 · 11/04/2020 23:17

Louis

Ruaridh/Ruairi/Ruairidh etc

Jean-Baptiste

Adrienne

Naomi

Mika

Beaux

Bijou

LightACandleHoney · 11/04/2020 23:07

I had a pal growing up called Caolaidhe - pronounced Cali - right? I’ve always liked it but would never have used it due to how popular Callie has become for girls. I still think of Cali as being more of a boy’s name but I know it’s not for most people

LizzieAnt · 11/04/2020 22:47

@whatsausername
Are you thinking of Colleen? Cailín, meaning girl, in Irish.

Heygirlheyboy · 11/04/2020 22:43

It's Kealan! Isn't it a beautiful spelling? It must mean narrow/thin blonde! Grin Right going to take myself and my anorak off to bed.

Original poster
whatausername · 11/04/2020 22:40

Is that not Kah-leen/Koh-leen? What's halfway between an O and an A? Lol.

Disclaimer: I could be thinking of a totally different name!

OP posts:
Zantedeschia · 11/04/2020 22:39

Siobhan = Sh - vaughan

Sh as in should
Vaughan to to rhyme with lawn

Afaik there is no V in Irish so bh is pronounced V

Meadhbh = Maeve

Heygirlheyboy · 11/04/2020 22:32

Hee hee!

May I throw Caoilfhionn into the mix? I've googled my concubine and he must have retired!

Thismummyruns · 11/04/2020 22:31

Siobhan- whenever I see this name I clam up!
It's probably very simple to pronounce but I just don't know!

Original poster
whatausername · 11/04/2020 22:23

Cun-a-hoor I'd have got! Would never have got cru-hoor 😂

OP posts:
LizzieAnt · 11/04/2020 22:23

@heygirlheyboy
GrinGrin

Heygirlheyboy · 11/04/2020 22:21

Of course! It makes no sense to me either! I used to call the lecturer concubine Grin

LizzieAnt · 11/04/2020 22:20

@whatsausername
Conchúr, the modern version of Conchubair, is pronounced Cru-hoor or Cun-a-hoor.

Original poster
whatausername · 11/04/2020 22:18

@Heygirlheyboy thanks, still a fabulous rendering of the name though. Having never studied Irish I would never have got that pronunciation.

OP posts:
Original poster
whatausername · 11/04/2020 22:15

Mhairi is 'varry' according to the few I know. I swear I have heard that some people say 'marry' though.

Angel depends on whether you're a Spanish speaker or an anglophone.

OP posts:
Heygirlheyboy · 11/04/2020 22:14

I think étaoin is Aideen but Etain, which I quite like, is an anglicised version.

Sorry op no, Conchubhair is pronounced Cru-hoor, which is the old Irish for Conor. Conchúr is less ancient but pronounced the same!

Doilooklikeatourist · 11/04/2020 22:09

Mari
Mhairi
Padraig
Angel ( is it Ann kgell or Ain Jell )

Original poster
whatausername · 11/04/2020 22:07

To clarify, Conchubhair is pronounced Conor? If so that is marvellous!

OP posts:
Anoisagusaris · 11/04/2020 22:03

Etaoin isn’t the same as Eadaoin (sorry can’t be arsed with fadas on the phone.

As far as I know it’s E-tain. But open to correction!

Heygirlheyboy · 11/04/2020 21:58

Is it an Éadaoin alternative?

CollaborativeBee · 11/04/2020 21:55

I'm Irish and my cousin married a welsh person. One of their kids is called Angharad. I experienced a glimpse in to how English people feel when they hear Irish names for the first time although welsh names are harder

I was laughing earlier, somebody who was helpfully explaining how to pronounce Saoirse but an 'r' at the end of it! Grin

One Irish name I'm not 100% sure about is Etaoin - It looks really nice written down I think, but is it Eteen?

SirVixofVixHall · 11/04/2020 21:41

Angharad is NOT An ha rad.

Toomuchtooyoung01 · 11/04/2020 21:40

Joaquin. I thought it was Jo A Quinn until OH informed me its actually pronounced Wakeen

Heygirlheyboy · 11/04/2020 21:37

Really funny story!

LizzieAnt · 11/04/2020 21:36

It was Conchubhair I meant, love the back storyGrin.

Heygirlheyboy · 11/04/2020 21:35

Oh stop! Even Conchúr is a far cry from pronunciation.