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Baby names

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Unexpected ways your baby's names are mispronounced

202 replies

CoalCraft · 10/11/2022 01:06

I have two daughters, Beatrix and Lois. I thought these were two classic names with a single settled pronunciation each, with minimal room for misinterpretation, at least by native English speakers. Both was I wrong!

For the avoidance of doubt, we pronounce these names...

  • bee-uh-trix
  • lo-iss

And yet DD1 is often called "beet-rix" and DD2 is often called "Loyce", as in rhyming with voice.

i usually let the first go as I just think "close enough", but I can't resist correcting "loyce" 🤢

Beatrix is sometimes also called "Beatrice", which is an understandable mix up that we did expect but is annoying when even family do it, and Lois is often misheard as "Lewis" so that people assume she's a boy. Not bothered by either of these when the general public do it though.

So what unexpected mispronunciations or misinterpretations did you encounter after naming your baby?

OP posts:
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fallfallfall · 10/11/2022 06:19

my daughter has mentioned that she occasionally gets "jean" from leanne "lee anne"...who would have guessed that one?

34and3 · 10/11/2022 06:02

To my ear Beatrix and Beatrice sound the same unless the "x" is dramatically exaggerated.

I have an Emilia. Technically she should be em-ee-lee-ya but people often and usually say Amelia. But they're so closely sounding I really don't care.

My other two childrens names are very obvious to say.