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Baby names

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Original poster

Can any welsh speakers help...girls middle names

29 replies

SherbertLemons · 26/10/2021 21:17

My DP grew up in Wales. I'm English and we live in England. DP still has family in Wales but isn't technically Welsh.

We are considering picking a Welsh middle name for our DC, if they are a girl. We already have a boys name picked out.

I really like Lowri or Eleri.

Can any Welsh speakers confirm the correct pronunciation for both names. What do you think of these two names?

Thanks!

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GogLais · 28/10/2021 19:42

How about Eluned (El-INN-ed) as a middle name?

Original poster
SherbertLemons · 28/10/2021 19:20

Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed. Lots to think about; I really like these names but I'm not sure I'm getting the pronunciation quite right. Would need to practice!

OP posts:
Frazzled2207 · 28/10/2021 08:58

Yes fair point as a middle name I wouldn’t worry too much.
We agonised over middle names for our two but it really doesn’t matter.
I have a welsh (first)name and live in England and it is a right pain.

CaffiSaliMali · 28/10/2021 08:47

I have a relative called Ceri who gets called Serry a lot when she crosses the border into England.

I don't think Lowri or Eleri would cause issues middle name wise as they won't be said out loud very often. They will be misspelled sometimes though. I know a Lowri in England who says people find the idea of a name ending in an ee sound which isn't spelled ie or y (like Katie/Katy) confusing so sometimes spell it as Lowrie or Lowry. I expect Eleri would get Elerie or Elery too.

At least as a middle name it shouldn't be too tricky, but bear in mind OP that you may have to correct it periodically.

TrufflyPig · 27/10/2021 20:24

Diolch for the explanation @GogLais

GogLais · 27/10/2021 19:53

@TrufflyPig A similar one is Siân, in some parts of Wales you will hear it said as Siên. It sounds weird to someone who has only heard the standard version.

Dreamsyoudliketosell · 27/10/2021 19:51

@GogLais South and second language. I only know one Eleri and she says it "air" way. My husband is Welsh speaking first language and he says El-eh-ree. Agree about Ceri though! - Kerry! I know so many people who say Lowri as Law-ri which doesn't sound as nice to me.

GogLais · 27/10/2021 19:50

@TrufflyPig, it's not a North/South divide - it's that the accent is different. A bit like Tracey in Corrie's name doesn't sound like Tracey in Eastender's name,

Someone from Llanelli would say El-airy because of the accent.

TrufflyPig · 27/10/2021 19:00

I didn't know there was a North South divide on the pronunciation of Eleri. I know two Eleris (I'm in the South) and they both use El-airy rather than El-erry.

I'm only a Welsh learner though so I can't weigh in on which one is actually correct.

GogLais · 27/10/2021 18:53

Are you in South Wales or West Wales or is it your second language ?
Only asking because I know so many Eleris, a few Teleris and a Meleri, and they all say it to rhyme with Lerry.

Do you say Ceri as Cairy, because there is no reason at all for the eri sound in Ceri and Eleri to be different.

Dreamsyoudliketosell · 27/10/2021 18:14

@GogLais I do yes

GogLais · 27/10/2021 17:22

@Dreamsyoudliketosell, do you speak Welsh?

Dreamsyoudliketosell · 27/10/2021 11:47

El-air-ee and Low-ree

GogLais · 27/10/2021 11:33

The 'ai' sound doesn't occur in Welsh, although you might hear is in a some south walian accents

I'd go with Laura or Hilary as a middle name

GogLais · 27/10/2021 10:59

Fluent mother-tongue Welsh speaker.

Eleri is El-ERR-y - Rhymes with Berry. It is not El-lairy

Lowri is similar to Lori but with a short oo before the r - low as in not high. If it was like Lowry the painter it would be written Lawri.

CaffiSaliMali · 27/10/2021 09:06

Welsh learner but from a Welsh speaking family (N.Wales).

Lowri is LOW-ri with the low to rhyme with snow. All the Welsh Lowris I know say it like this, whether N.Walian or S.Walian. It's Welsh for Laura.

Eleri is EL-erry to rhyme with Terry. It can sometimes sound a little like El-airy in some accents but the eri in Eleri is like the eri in Ceri.

Walkinginawingingwonderland · 27/10/2021 00:01

I have a few first language Welsh friends and they all pronounced Eleri as El-EH-ri rather than El-AIR-ri.

Low definitely rhymes with snow not cow.

Frazzled2207 · 26/10/2021 23:55

Ps there is proper rolled r on both.
It really isn’t quite like El-air-y.
The middle syllable is a very short er with a rolled r. Very difficult for non natives.

FuckYouBing · 26/10/2021 23:54

Like Muchtoomuchtodo said, Lowri with OW to rhyme with snow. Eleri both Es are said the same. Rolled r in both.

Frazzled2207 · 26/10/2021 23:53

Lowri is most definitely not like the artist. Low to rhyme with snow.

Eleri is tricky because I have always heard it said like Ellory which is wrong. The emphasis is on the second syllable
el-ER-i

Tbh both of these are very often mispronounced

Palavah · 26/10/2021 23:49

@mrsrubymonday are you North Walian?

MrsRubyMonday · 26/10/2021 23:26

My wife and I are both Welsh, we would say Lowri to rhyme with cow.

Eleri I would pronounce El-AIR-ee. It's a really pretty name.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 26/10/2021 21:42

Bloody autocorrect!

Lowri

Muchtoomuchtodo · 26/10/2021 21:42

Lowry should rhyme with snow, but many pronounce it like cow.

Tbh though, middle names are so rarely used it does make a lot of difference!

Original poster
SherbertLemons · 26/10/2021 21:40

First name yet to be decided (we have very different tastes so at the moment we only have a very long short list!).

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