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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Effion?

81 replies

Zoomer122 · 09/04/2023 13:33

Me and DP are looking at names for DC2. I recently found the boys name Eiffion and instantly fell in love, at first glance I thought the name was ‘eff-ion’ and after a further look thought it was ‘ee-fee-on’ but after a quick search I found out the origin of the name and it’s pronounced ‘avy-on’ or ‘ivy-on’ and i still love it but have fallen in love with ‘eff-ion’ especially with the nickname Effie. Me and DP are not Welsh and DS is named Florian but goes by Ori so we aren’t sure if it will sound right . I don’t want to give him a weird version of a traditional welsh name but at the same time I love eff-ion so much. Would it be weird to name him effion even though it’s not really a name or is there any variants that I’m not aware of.

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PickledScrump · 09/04/2023 23:10

@Zoomer122 ive known several Stefans. None get mixed up with Stephen. I’d think Stefan was more popular these days than Stephen. It’s much better to have a known name than one made up that will get mispronounced all the time.

Kitcaterpillar · 09/04/2023 22:49

He will get "effing Effion" all of his life.

Vaguely off-topic, but I never understand these claims about names with a rhyme or a similar sound.

Surely people don't go their whole lives getting called Lazy Daisy or Plain Jane or Boozy Suzie? I'm sure it happens occasionally, but enough to be an actual issue? I suppose if he grows up to be a complete wanker it might happen but then his nickname would be the least of his issues...

WarningToTheCurious · 09/04/2023 22:41

Stefan doesn’t get mistaken for Stephen.

If you’re fond of the double f spelling for names then go for Steffan.

Radiatorvalves · 09/04/2023 22:30

My great grandmother was Scottish, called Euphemia, known as Effie. She died long before I was born but was apparently an absolute cow. I always thought it was quite funny because I thought Effie sounded rude.

Maybe it’s just me?

MaireadMcSweeney · 09/04/2023 22:21

It's awful. And Effie for a boy is just unkind.

mathanxiety · 09/04/2023 22:16

Zoomer122 · 09/04/2023 19:06

@SpringIntoChaos would never want to butcher a name, we wouldn’t name him Eiffion/Eifion it would be Effion

@TomatoSandwiches I might add Efan to the list

I don’t personally get why people get so heated over a name sounding slightly feminine. Me and DP like softer sounding ‘male’ names like Florian. Plus Effie would only be a nickname for us to use around the house.

1 - That's exactly what butchering a name consists of.

2 - Try telling your child how little you understand of the issue people have with using girl names or abbreviations that are girl names when he comes home crying about everyone making fun of him.

If you like softer sounding boy names that's perfectly fine. But there's still a difference between softer sounding boy names and out and out girl names.

Suggestions for soft sounding boy names:
Lysander
Louis
Liam
Ronan
Roman
Marius
Elias
Eli
Elijah
Noah
Raphael
Gabriel
Josiah
Jonah
Silas
Linus
Milo
Leo
Ambrose
Phineas
Amos
Amias

mathanxiety · 09/04/2023 22:08

It's too close to Florian and Evian.

It's also not cool to take a name from a language you're not familiar with and basically mispronounce it.

ReadersD1gest · 09/04/2023 22:02

stefan but don’t like how it would always be read as stephen
Of course it wouldn't. Why do you think that?

MoggyP · 09/04/2023 22:00

Just do not use the nn Effie for a boy, even if you do find an "eff" name.

Because it's a very traditional girls name. (Just call him Sue and be done with it, yes, it's that well established)

Mumped · 09/04/2023 21:58

Ephraim ?

Original poster
Zoomer122 · 09/04/2023 21:54

In no way am I claiming effion to be a welsh name, and as much as it was my stupid mistake I can’t help falling for it. I also really do like efan but not pronounced like Evan but eff-an again I would probably spell it effan or ephan.
I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I can’t help falling for this eff sound for some reason (obvious choice would be stefan but don’t like how it would always be read as stephen)

OP posts:
Aliciasays · 09/04/2023 21:24

ReadersD1gest · 09/04/2023 21:18

Maybe he has meetings with other people? Confused

Show quote history

Fair point ! But to call it a nightmare is still disrespectful

Keroppi · 09/04/2023 21:20

No

ReadersD1gest · 09/04/2023 21:18

Aliciasays · 09/04/2023 21:06

well that’s just lazy on their part, not to mention disrespectful not to bother learning their boss’s name ffs

Show quote history

Maybe he has meetings with other people? Confused

suzettenoisette · 09/04/2023 21:16

He will get "effing Effion" all of his life.

What about another soft sounding name if you like those?

Fabian
Elliott
Emmett
Lucian

ThomasinaLivesHere · 09/04/2023 21:14

To be fair to OP she’s aware the name she likes isn’t Welsh but came from her misreading of a Welsh name so I can’t imagine she’s going to tell people Effion is a Welsh name.

I can’t say I’m in love with the name but we have different styles. I do sympathise with misreading a name and liking your version better. I did this too.

I do think a lot of English speakers would read Effion the way you want it said though.

Aliciasays · 09/04/2023 21:06

Zola1 · 09/04/2023 20:55

Effie is a girls name.. so don't give him this nickname
Eifion is a spelling and pronunciation nightmare, my boss has that name and before meetings people ALWAYS whisper 'how do you say it again'

well that’s just lazy on their part, not to mention disrespectful not to bother learning their boss’s name ffs

Aliciasays · 09/04/2023 21:04

If you do go with Effion or whatever please don’t claim it has any connection to a Welsh name. It’s about as Welsh as Tarquin.

Eifion is a lovely traditional Welsh name, the F is pronounced similar to an English V.

I am Welsh, speak Welsh and went to a Welsh school and where I’m from we pronounce Eifion as Eye-Vee-Onn (difficut to know how to illustrate it without knowing your accent). It may have different pronunciation in other parts of Wales but that’s how we say it.

but of course you can name your child whatever you please. If I ever heard someone claim Effion as a Welsh name the worst I’d do is roll my eyes and tut. But so what if you like it?

cheese? · 09/04/2023 20:56

It's just going to look like you misspelt Eifion

Zola1 · 09/04/2023 20:55

Effie is a girls name.. so don't give him this nickname
Eifion is a spelling and pronunciation nightmare, my boss has that name and before meetings people ALWAYS whisper 'how do you say it again'

LittleLegsKeepGoing · 09/04/2023 20:52

Sorry but Effion is a silly name, even as made up names go and Effie doesn't just sound feminine, it really is feminine.

I really don't understand why people want to mark out their children this way. It just makes you as parents look like desperate attention seekers.

Eifion however is a good strong Welsh name, even if non-Welsh speakers butcher it (much like Geraint).

PizzaPastaWine · 09/04/2023 20:26

I'd imagine if you don't live in Wales and call a kid Efan they would think you cannot spell Ethan.

MoongazyHare · 09/04/2023 20:25

If you insist on using Effion, a-not-quite-Welsh name but suggestive of it, expect the boy to go through his whole life being asked ‘Oh, is that Welsh?’ And then having to say, ‘No, my mum made it up’.

FatGirlSwim · 09/04/2023 20:12

I know several Efans, it’s fairly common where I live.

Poblano · 09/04/2023 20:07

I've never heard of the name Effion, pretty sure it isn't Welsh.

I do however know lots of Eifions, of all ages (youngest is 2, oldest is in his 80s, and everything in between).