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Original poster

Pronunciation of Ruthven

68 replies

GoAwayCat · 05/08/2021 10:45

Does anyone have a definitive answer on how to pronounce Ruthven, or if you know a Ruthven how do they pronounce it?

It's a name I've always liked for a boy and have heard it pronounced Ruh-thven and Roo-ven. Mentioned it to DH and he thought it was Ruth-ven (like the girls' name Ruth) The internet seems to indicate it is 'Rivven'

So that's us up to 4 possible pronunciations Grin Wondering if the hive mind of MN had a view?

If anyone has a suggestion of anything similar I'd be interested. It's not a popular view on MN but I really like the Scottish surnamey, place-namey kind of style. Our first DS has a similar style of name - along the lines of Nairn.

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Sssloou · 06/08/2021 08:10

He is will get called Ruth by his classmates.

NeverTalkToStrangers · 06/08/2021 08:03

The protagonist of G&S’s Ruddigore is called Ruthven, pronounced Riven, in an homage to Polidori’s The Vampire.

So does this mean that the English, who’d probably only ever use the name if they were big fans of gothic literature are more likely to use the Scottish language pronunciation than the Scots, who are more familiar with the English transliteration as a place and and have got used to the anglicised pronunciation.

liveforsummer · 06/08/2021 07:43

There you have it. Glasgow says Ruth-ven, people (like me) in other parts of Scotland say Riven.

Except people on the borders (east and west) and Edinburgh say Ruhthven too so it's definitely not just a Glasgow thing at all. I know people in both places with the name

Quietcrown · 06/08/2021 07:42

I'd say Ruhth-ven too.

KittenKong · 06/08/2021 07:27

Ruh-th-vin - well it was when I was at school (a classmates surname)

Original poster
GoAwayCat · 06/08/2021 07:25

Thank you pogostemon! That is what I was after.

OP posts:
Pogostemon · 06/08/2021 06:39

The original place name is pronounced Riven, from the Gaelic (Ruadhainn) Actually, there are several places in the centre/east of Scotland with this name and pronunciation.
‘Ruadhainn’ was at some point transliterated into English as Ruthven.
The place name became also a title, i.e. Lord Ruthven. (Still Riven.)
Streets and buildings in Glasgow were named after the person
People began to pronounce the name as written on street signs, because why wouldn’t they?

There you have it. Glasgow says Ruth-ven, people (like me) in other parts of Scotland say Riven.

Original poster
GoAwayCat · 05/08/2021 14:06

Yes, we live in Scotland but no longer in Glasgow. Now on the East coast.

OP posts:
Kerzel · 05/08/2021 13:59

A friend of mine has this surname and always pronounced it Ruh-thven. Never heard it pronounced any of the other ways! I’m in Scotland

MerryMarigold · 05/08/2021 13:49

After you in Scotland now OP? I would say 'Roothven' just because I've never heard of it and then adjust. However, judging by very many people I know, including teachers, they will continue to say it in their own merry way (which they decided when they first saw it). So, I would definitely avoid tricky pronunciations.

peaceinourtime · 05/08/2021 13:42

I think most people would pronounce it Ruth-ven.

AbandonedCharacter · 05/08/2021 12:56

I can't hear it without adding Street, Lane or Barracks!

Go for it if you like it but there are plenty of other lovely Scottish surnames you could use without any worries about pronunciation.

liveforsummer · 05/08/2021 12:52

And I'm east Scotland not Glasgow

liveforsummer · 05/08/2021 12:52

@334bu

*Definitely Riven in Scotland*

Where? Is Ruh/thven just a Weegie pronunciation?

This. I'm in Scotland and know lots of people with it as a surname. All pronounce it Ruhth ven
liveforsummer · 05/08/2021 12:50

It's a common surname here Ruhth ven not Rooth ven

Original poster
GoAwayCat · 05/08/2021 12:38

Ok I'll say it again.

I CAN pronounce it, and would pronounce it Ruh-thven. This is what everyone I knew in Glasgow called Ruthven Lane, and is also how it was pronounced by the person I knew who had it as a name. I thought it was a lovely name.

However, I have heard it pronounced in other ways and just idly wondered how other Scots/MNers would pronounce it. As shown by this thread quite a few would say Rivven.

OP posts:
334bu · 05/08/2021 12:35

Definitely Riven in Scotland

Where? Is Ruh/thven just a Weegie pronunciation?

1940s · 05/08/2021 12:33

Don't be so defensive OP.... it's a very odd thing to claim to like a name you can't pronounce

MumofSpud · 05/08/2021 12:32

How can you want to choose a name that even you as the parent doesn't know how to pronounce it?

Original poster
GoAwayCat · 05/08/2021 12:30

Do you have any thoughts on the actual pronunciation of Ruthven, 1940s? Because that's what my thread was about.

OP posts:
1940s · 05/08/2021 12:28

Whilst many names can be pronounced differently, most parents choose one with a variation they want to use. Ie Maya as My-ah

1940s · 05/08/2021 12:26

Unless you and your husband have full conviction as to how to pronounce the name of steer very clear

BingBongToTheMoon · 05/08/2021 12:17

Definitely Riven in Scotland.

Original poster
GoAwayCat · 05/08/2021 12:12

How can you like a name that you don't know how to pronounce and has 4 different pronunciations to choose from? What do you like about it?!

I like the way it looks, I like the general style, and I like the Ruh-thven pronunciation. I'm just aware that not everyone might pronounce it that way and I wondered what others thought.

There are loads of names with varying pronunciations, see the thousand threads about Maya, Mila etc.

OP posts:
1940s · 05/08/2021 12:07

How can you like a name that you don't know how to pronounce and has 4 different pronunciations to choose from? What do you like about it?!