Opinions on Ivan (pronounced Ee-vahn)

We have this with DD's name (also E'European family). It's fine, we introduce her as, let's say, Yulia, and she now answers to both Yulia and Julia. Her (actual) name gets mangled by Northerners with short "a"s, but that's the only issue we've found.

Ah. If it's paired with an Eastern European surname it's more likely to be pronounced Ee Vaan.

I've heard Ivan Ivanovich. (No idea who he is). But my automatic reaction is to pronounce it ee vaan

By the way, some people on here and the 'why would you change how it's pronounced' attitude, as if the way they're used to something is the ONLY way

This! Unbelievable responses.

Personally, I think the Eastern European pronunciation is much nicer, OP, and while you (and your ds) might have to correct people quite often, it shouldn't be difficult for people to say once they know.

A lot of people will probably realise that it's the Eastern European pronunciation anyway, given that it's paired with an Eastern European surname. I'd assume that personally.

I think you should go for it. With an Eastern European surname as well I think people will be more likely to pronounce it how you want it to be pronounced, once they’ve heard you say it.

A lot of people with non-British names have their name pronounced differently in their family, and with others. I think it’s fine as long as that doesn’t bother you.

Since you have some EE heritage and you know how to pronounce and spell it correctly it is fine. Better to keep it "Ivan" so that your DS could relate to your grandfather. It is classic and strong

I have a daughter who also has a name with the I/Ee sound at the start. We pronounce it both ways depending on where we are and who we're with (DH is German). Could that be an option. It's my English grandmother's name but I don't mind the German pronunciation.

It’s not pronounced e-van though is it? It’s I-van......

I love family names with some history attached.

I think it's a non issue then op.

You call him by the name as you would naturally then by older age range he gets to either point out the pronunciation to new acquaintance or go with the flow and maybe end up called Vanny or something equally tangential!

It's only really an issue when parents pick a name with several common pronunciations and then get super offended when people get it wrong. Because it's a predictable occurence and you can't really dictate this stuff in the real world. As long as you're pragmatic about it then it's all good. (And I love names that honour family, personally - so nice to have a connection to the past.)

I would assume ee-van but I would check. Classic name, evidently a sophistication test too, which is useful.

Oops caught up reading the thread now. Funny how so many claim that the english pronounciation is the correct one when it's actually the wrong one.

I would automatically pronounce that Ee-van personally and I think it's a great name OP!

I think Ivan pronounced either way is lovely, and particularly the way you intend, OP (which, as established is a perfectly valid pronunciation is many parts of the world and not "incorrect" at all! )

This is interesting to me because it brings up the question of how much of a "name" is in the pronunciation (vs the spelling). I'm Canadian, DH is English - many of the names on our list we pronounce slightly differently (heck, he pronounces my own name differently than I do!). When you factor in his Welsh dad and Scottish grandmother, it's likely that any name we choose will have at least two pronunciations just within our family.

Which is all to say, how much would it bother you if others didn't get on board with your pronunciation? Say, when he's a teenager, if your DS got sick of correcting people and was happy to be "Eye-van" to his mates at school and "Ee-van" to his family, would that be terrible? It's all in knowing how much variation/bother of correcting people you can personally take.

That said, I agree with PP that once told, most people should be able to get on board with your intended pronunciation - it's not that difficult!

People will pronounce it eye van no matter what you say. It's ok, but just ok. Why not Evan? Much softer

A nice name! Like others, as a Scot I would naturally assume Ivan was "eye-van" and Evan was "Ee-van" or "Eh-van" but I'd remember once corrected

Oooh Vanya is lovely @murmurgam .

People who assume that the only right way is their way are just absurd.
As you'll have an Eastern European surname with it, I can't see the problem and people will learn. eeVAN (Ivan) is much nicer than Eyevan in my view and due to being a very popular name in Russia and Eastern Europe, more common too.

There's a difference between Ivan /I:van/ which is used arguably in far more places than /aiven/ (add Italy and most Med countries to the list)= two perfectly correct pronunciations..and the Ava example which is just a parent inventing a unique one!

That said, the ones I've known were always given the "Ivan the Terrible" nickname in school so that might put me off.

The Ukranian Ivan I knew went by Vanya in day to day life (think that's the diminutive). Got round the incorrect pronunciation issue

I think it’s a great name, but perhaps consider spelling it Yvan rather than Ivan, which makes it slightly easier for folks to pronounce correctly!

I think if you want people to pronounce it E-van, you're going to have to spell it Evan. Because spelt Ivan, people will pronounce it I-van

Even Evan has been ruined. Where I live most people would say 'Eaven (Heaven with a dropped H)!