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Original poster

Georgiana pronunciation

116 replies

PrimroseWharf · 09/08/2022 08:44

How would you pronounce Georgiana? And where are you located? We are in NW England. I would say Jor-Jaynah but DH says Jor-Jee-Arnah. I like both pronunciations but would prefer to use the ‘correct’ one. This is only for a middle name so not the end of the world if people mispronounce. So how would you say it?

Jor-Jee-Arnah
Jor-Jee-Anna
Jor-Jaynah

Something else entirely?

Thanks!

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SummaLuvin · 10/08/2022 15:26

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 14:13

Jor-Jee-Arnuh

Why are you adding an R? Confused

Not all names are pronounced phonetically and this is one of the accepted standard variations of this name.

I bet half the people on this thread crying over the 'R' sound being added say castle like CAR-SELL anyway.

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 14:13

Jor-Jee-Arnuh

Why are you adding an R? Confused

Carrieonmywaywardsun · 10/08/2022 14:13

Jor-Jee-Arnuh

FallOutPloy · 10/08/2022 14:10

I always would have said george-ee-AH-na except I now know one girl with this name, and she pronounces it George-AY-na.

pinklavenders · 10/08/2022 14:06

I would pronounce it jor-jee-ah-na. I'm Irish and we don't add Rs unless it's in the spelling.

I'm not Irish and wouldn't add a random R either Confused

mogwa · 10/08/2022 12:01

I would pronounce it jor-jee-ah-na. I'm Irish and we don't add Rs unless it's in the spelling.

The only time I've heard the jor-jay-na pronunciation was in the film The Duchess.

Imaginary · 10/08/2022 11:55

Jor-Jee-Anna

MrsBungle · 09/08/2022 18:52

Georgie-Anna to me.

LadyEloise1 · 09/08/2022 18:48

MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 09/08/2022 18:27

How can you like a name if you don't know how it's pronounced?Confused

😂

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 09/08/2022 18:36

I'd go with the jor-jay-ana pronunciation, although I did do a class at uni with a woman who was called Georgiana and made a massive show of correcting everyone to her way of saying it which was jor-JAAY-nah, with huge emphasis on the middle syllable. She was a bit of a dick generally though so I'd totally disregard that!

MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 09/08/2022 18:27

How can you like a name if you don't know how it's pronounced?Confused

agedasiago · 09/08/2022 18:20

NW Scotland: jor-jee-AHN-ah or jorj-YAHN-ah. If you go for four syllables, expect it to be shortened to three or three and a half by children and people in a hurry.

For confused Scots, and others: the r comes in because of non-rhotic accents. Rhotic speakers (most native English speakers in the world) pronounce an r when there is an r (on the basis of spelling) and do not pronounce an r when there is none. Non-rhotic speakers drop the r after a vowel and add an extra r after a vowel. Rhotic accents are common in many parts of England, Australia, and the US northeast (the "typical" Bostonian accent from the USA is an extreme example).

Eg:

Rhotic: Hey, Mariana! Julia says there's a bar car on the train to New York.
Non-rhotic: Hey, Mariarner! Julier says there's a bah cah on the train to New Yawk.

You can say your baby's name is pronounced with three syllables rather than four, or vice versa, but you can't really insist on adding extra rs: people will say them or not say them depending on their accent.

SemperIdem · 09/08/2022 15:43

jor-Jayne-ah was correct to a very select group of long dead Aristocrats. The Duchess of Devonshire herself only adopted that pronunciation of her name upon marriage, she had pronounced it the usual way all her life.

MissStress · 09/08/2022 15:41

Jor-jee-ah-nah

Eughsame · 09/08/2022 15:39

I’ve only ever heard it pronounced as Jor-jayna. Same with the name Christiana, which is Kris-tayna, not Kristee-ahna. IME it’s highly unlikely that someone upper/upper middle class would pronounce this name as Jor-gee-ahna (if that’s more what you mean by ‘correct’). That being said, if you’re not sure then say it whichever way you prefer and prepare your child for a life of correcting the other half (either way) and not enough letter spaces for their names on application forms.

Dinoteeth · 09/08/2022 15:09

First thought was Georg-ina then I read the comments and noticed the extra A, so second thoughts would make it Georg-i-anna.

If you can't decide it might be easier to stick with Georgina especially for a middle name.

ermagerdabear · 09/08/2022 14:57

Purpleavocado · 09/08/2022 14:37

I always thought it was pronounced Jorge-jayna if said 'correctly'. it's a bit like StJohn though, how many people would know the correct pronunciation?

It's not the correct pronunciation. Amanda Foreman touches on it in her biography of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire on which the film is based. It was just an affectation adopted by the Duchess and her inner circle.

Purpleavocado · 09/08/2022 14:37

I always thought it was pronounced Jorge-jayna if said 'correctly'. it's a bit like StJohn though, how many people would know the correct pronunciation?

Prunel · 09/08/2022 14:32

George Arna

SpringIntoChaos · 09/08/2022 14:30

I have two in my class, both pronounced George-ee-ar-nah

I'm in Lincolnshire.

downtonupton · 09/08/2022 13:50

Georgie-Arnah

SE/London - bit of a posh accent

pinklavenders · 09/08/2022 13:35

George - gee - ahna

Why are people adding a random R..? The ending is ahna and not aRna

Anotherusernamethisweek · 09/08/2022 12:22

Back in the depths of history (like 18th century of whenever it was popular) I'm pretty sure it was Jor-Jaynah

RuthW · 09/08/2022 12:05

George - gee - arna

Midlands

Holidaygirls · 09/08/2022 11:39

Louise0701 · 09/08/2022 09:28

Jorjayna??? Never heard this and wouldn’t take this from the spelling, either.

Ive always pronounced it Jor-Gee-Arna like your DH.

We’re in South Yorkshire.

This. But I'm SE England.