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

Is this name really so hard to pronouse?

79 replies

Fancylike · 12/04/2022 14:51

We're expecting our first baby boy this summer. My husband has suggested Gabriel, which I love, and so far it's the only name we've both agreed to liking. Thought we could move on to the middle name!

He now has a new co-worker called Gabriel who has started in the last month, and apparently everyone in his office is massively struggling with the pronunciation. He's now put off from using the name, and we're back at square one.

Is Gabriel tough to pronounce? I thought it's quite classic and international.
And any suggestions for names along the same vibe. I like longer names that can be shortened for a nickname (Gabriel/Gabe, Julian/Jude, Nathaniel/Nate), and he likes Evan, Marcus, Vince, none of which appeals to me.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
spotcheck · 12/04/2022 15:27

@UhtredsLatestPaganHussy

They sound like dicks. Poor new Gabriel at the office.
#teamNewGabriel
Pbbananabagel · 12/04/2022 15:26

I have this with my name, e.g say my name is Catlyn, people (even when they’re looking at it written down insist on saying’ Catherine’ or ‘Kate-lynn’ or ‘Catrina’. They literally cannot cope with a name they’re not familiar with.

*my name isn’t actually Catlyn but it gives you the idea

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 12/04/2022 15:25

No not difficult at all. I could understand a name such as Isla or Niamh being hard for people but I’d say Gabriel was pretty phonetic

HangingRock25 · 12/04/2022 15:23

I like it but I keep getting confused whether it's gay-bree-all, or gabb-bree-all.

MrsTerryPratchett · 12/04/2022 15:23

@Purpleroseas

GAY-bree-el is American/English

GAH-bee-el is European (German,French etc)

But neither is particularly difficult Hmm

I do it Italian stylee which is the second way.

But you just choose one. DD's name has two pronunciations and I haven't heard either in years because she uses the short version of her name. He'll be Gabe in about ten seconds!

MinoucheSapphic · 12/04/2022 15:22

That's very strange. I'd be a bit shocked if someone told me they had genuinely never heard the name Gabriel before or couldn't pronounce it (unless they were from a different culture). It's hardly Nebuchadnezzar. Don't most schools perform a Christmas play? I wouldn't discount it just because some people are unfamiliar with it, because most people will know how to pronounce it.

DariaMorgendorffer · 12/04/2022 15:20

@UhtredsLatestPaganHussy

A lot of our fellow humans are pretty dim/unobservant. Sounds like there's a glut of them in your husband's office. The most common of names will be mispronounced and misspelt.

You could call him John and some will insist on spelling it Jon.

Grinon the ball
KirstenBlest · 12/04/2022 15:18

I think you'd get Gabreel as well

Julian is awful and isn't the same name as Jude. Jude is a name in its own right

The r will cause some people problems, not everyone can say it.

Original poster
Fancylike · 12/04/2022 15:18

@Oizys

Gabriel Isn’t a name you see as much these days but I wouldn’t say it’s hard to pronounce at all. Most people know the angel Gabriel at least.

I would think it’s more likely your DH has gone off the name since meeting a Gabriel and is making up excuses

I'm starting to think the co-worker aspect is also part of this! New co-worker also has a male partner, and I wouldn't be shocked if there's been a Gay-briel joke thrown around by some genius.

His office is multicultural, but it's not Hesham and Naveed having trouble with the name, it's Tom and Sarah. Like to hear him tell it, they can't get a grip on it at all.

We're not religious in the slightest or raised religious, I just like the name in general.

OP posts:
RoseMartha · 12/04/2022 15:18

It is straightforward to pronounce. And lovely name

Beees · 12/04/2022 15:14

Apparently like "Gabby-elle", or assuming it's Gabrielle, the feminine. Or not even trying and asking for his name over and over.

His colleagues sound like bullying twats.

ToPlayOrNotToPlay · 12/04/2022 15:11

Gabe-re-elle how are his colleagues pronouncing it?

UhtredsLatestPaganHussy · 12/04/2022 15:11

They sound like dicks. Poor new Gabriel at the office.

Original poster
Fancylike · 12/04/2022 15:10

@dementedpixie

In what way are they pronouncing it wrongly? I'd say it Gay-bree-el
Yes, same, with the b coming in tightly behind the y sound. Apparently like "Gabby-elle", or assuming it's Gabrielle, the feminine. Or not even trying and asking for his name over and over.
OP posts:
RippleQueen · 12/04/2022 15:07

@fancylike
Be careful as a friend’s son is called Gabriel and he gets called Gay Boy all the time at school.
Not sure I would want to be named after an angel but then I’m an atheist

Original poster
Fancylike · 12/04/2022 15:07

And obviously meant 'pronounce' in title! Fat preggo fingers!

OP posts:
CPL593H · 12/04/2022 15:06

Lovely name and not at all difficult to pronounce

UhtredsLatestPaganHussy · 12/04/2022 15:03

A lot of our fellow humans are pretty dim/unobservant. Sounds like there's a glut of them in your husband's office. The most common of names will be mispronounced and misspelt.

You could call him John and some will insist on spelling it Jon.

SirChenjins · 12/04/2022 15:02

When you say “massively struggling “ how are they pronouncing it? I can only think of two ways (Gay-bree-el or Gab-ree-el) so interested in hearing about others.

Purpleroseas · 12/04/2022 15:01

GAY-bree-el is American/English

GAH-bee-el is European (German,French etc)

But neither is particularly difficult Hmm

SenecaFallsRedux · 12/04/2022 14:59

GAY-bree-el is the only pronunciation I have ever heard (I'm in the US, though).

It's a lovely name. What is their issue? You listen to how someone says their name, and that's what you say.

Oizys · 12/04/2022 14:58

Gabriel Isn’t a name you see as much these days but I wouldn’t say it’s hard to pronounce at all. Most people know the angel Gabriel at least.

I would think it’s more likely your DH has gone off the name since meeting a Gabriel and is making up excuses

DariaMorgendorffer · 12/04/2022 14:58

I like Gabriel, can only think of two ways to pronounce it, but many names are like that. Surely it's just a matter of clarifying with people if they say it the 'other' way.

FelicityPike · 12/04/2022 14:56

Some people might be pronouncing it GAH-bree-ehl ?

Beees · 12/04/2022 14:56

I'm really trying to work out how people are struggling with the pronunciation, it's not a tricky name at all. I'd tell him his colleagues are obviously not very bright and 99.9% of people would get it right. I certainly wouldn't be discounting it because his colleagues can't pronounce it.