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

French Baby Names - how would you pronounce them?

39 replies

EllaWt · 15/04/2020 19:44

Hi Everyone
My husband and I are both french and we're thinking of names for our first baby expected later this year. For boys names we love

  • Léandre
  • Hilaire
  • Jacques

We're Aware that it might be really hard for people in the UK to pronounce. So we thought we'd ask you ? How would you pronounce them and do you find it impossible?

Thank you so much

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
ShesGotBetteDavisEyes · 15/04/2020 19:59

I know it’s not on your list but Etienne (et-ee-Ann) is my favourite French boys name ever! I think it’s really cool and wanted to call ds it but dh wouldn’t have it at all!

Out of your list I like Jacques the best but I don’t really know how to spell how you pronounce it - it has a kind of long Jjjjj-ack!

Hagbeth · 15/04/2020 19:57

Ley-ond-re
Hill-air or Hill-ary
Zhack

givemeacall · 15/04/2020 19:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 15/04/2020 19:53

Lay-ond-re
Hill-air
Zhack (I’m not sure if the zh bit is quite clear.)

I’m guessing the ‘H’ of hilaire isn’t pronounced though.

TitianaTitsling · 15/04/2020 19:52

not looking!

Letthemysterybe · 15/04/2020 19:51

Le Ann dray
Hill uh ree
Zjack

TitianaTitsling · 15/04/2020 19:51

Oh sorry looking for more suggestions!

Nomoreweeping · 15/04/2020 19:51

Lee-ondr
Ill-air
Zhack

But I don't speak French at all, so I'd ask "how do you pronounce that?" If I saw it written down! I'd assume I'd get it wrong!

TitianaTitsling · 15/04/2020 19:50

Ah lochjess said it much better that me with Jacques!
What about Mathieu or Thierry?

PutTheNeedleOnIt · 15/04/2020 19:49
  1. Lee- andre 2)Hill -air
  2. Jax
TitianaTitsling · 15/04/2020 19:48

Lee-and-re
Hill-air
Jacks or Jack-eu
?

GaraMedouar · 15/04/2020 19:48

I think Jacques would be the easiest for non French speakers - most people know Jacques Cousteau and how it’s pronounced. Alternatively he’d just be called Jack by a lot of people anyway.

CatsForLife · 15/04/2020 19:47

Lee-on-dray
Hill-air
Zzzzyac (the French way of saying J)

LochJessMonster · 15/04/2020 19:47
  • Léandre- Lee-undre (As in Peter Andre)
  • Hilaire - Hill-air
  • Jacques - sshack (like Jack but with more of a ‘ssh’ instead of a ‘j’) so ‘Jack with a French accent.
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.