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Baby names

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Original poster

English speaking advice on polish name

106 replies

szscesliwedni · 07/01/2022 15:43

As a polish speaker I’m struggling to see what would be best to do with the name I like.

I would like to name unborn DC Łukasz Nikita.

In Poland Łukasz is pronounced like woo-kash (not perfect but the best i can mange)

The letter Ł (lowercase ł) doesn’t exist in English and I’m thinking this could cause some difficulties? Łukasz would more then likely end up being written as Lukasz by most people (and machines which don’t accept polish letters). So would be pronounced Loo-kash or Luke-ash. I have a feeling this might cause unborn DC a nightmare with name spelling questions for their whole life as they will be English, not polish, and will grow up in the UK with the likelihood of about 10, (probably less, as I have no intention of ever living there), visits to Poland in the first 18 years.

Would you go with
A. Lukasz (pronounced Loo-kash/Luke-ash)
B. Wukasz (which would be more like the polish pronunciation but the Ł changed to W)
C. Or stick with the Ł for Łukasz (pronounced Woo-kash)

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DollyP23 · 07/01/2022 15:51

I know an adult Łucasz who goes by Lucas in the UK. I'd go for option 3, use the name as it should be but as he grows up he could choose to use Lucas if he preffered. Not sure if that would suit you? I think most people will learn how to say it - I have an Irish name and people get it right once I've told them the pronunciation

Original poster
szscesliwedni · 07/01/2022 15:50

Interesting what you @APerfectSky, Łukasz is the polish version of Lukas so that’s a possibility. I’d have to have a think about that though.

OP posts:
LuckyWithMyLot · 07/01/2022 15:50

I think most English people would pronounce it "Loo-kass" rather then "Loo-kash", so that's another thing to consider.

If I were you, I'd stick with the original version and people around him will soon learn!

PinkWaferBiscuit · 07/01/2022 15:48

Honestly if he's going to grow up in England I would give him a first name that won't cause him so much frustration and use his middle name as an opportunity to add a nod to his Polish heritage.

APerfectSky · 07/01/2022 15:47

(also, I think a lot of
people in the UK would probably struggle to know how to pronounce the end (as in ash)).

APerfectSky · 07/01/2022 15:46

What about a compromise Iike Lukas or Lucas?

Failing that, I'd probably go with Lukasz and accept that people will pronounce like Lucas.