Ilse? | Mumsnet

yellowmeerkat · 2023-05-21T15:36:05+00:00

A very helpful MNetter has just suggested this after DH has firmly vetoed Elsa due to frozen association. Could you pronounce this ‘I’ll-sa / Isle-sa’ or is it always ‘Ill-sa’? Appreciate the name will naturally come with mispronunciation / confusion for Isla etc. I think it’s really pretty and could be a very last minute addition to our current short list. Thoughts appreciated!

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TallulahBetty · 23/05/2023 10:31

GoodVibesHere · 21/05/2023 16:56

Ilse? That's not a name, surely? How do you pronounce it? Reading it, I'd say ill-ss.

Back to the drawing board I think!

You DO realise other languages/countries exist, yes?

CountessBathorysBeautySecrets · 23/05/2023 10:27

I have to say that my first thought was of the Nazi woman. But I'm sure there have been many unproblematic Ilses too!

CharlottenBurger · 23/05/2023 10:18

TheIsleOfTheLost · 21/05/2023 22:43

@CharlottenBurger yes, but I love the film, so freely admit bias. Would have called a dc Victor if dp had been on board. Plus Eva (Braun) was his actual wife and therefore as evil as they come and that is a hugely popular name now. I would totally avoid Leni (Riefenstahl) by the way as I think that is just too uncommon here to associate anyone else with the name. But then it might be a popular name elsewhere. I think I am just rambling now.

Well, I would not mind Helene (which is what Leni is the nickname/short form of), or Magdalene, which Leni is also short for. Compare Magdalena, Helena shortened to Lena. I don't much like the modern habit of registering kids with short/nickname forms, as it seems to pre-empt any nickname the child might pick up as they go through life.

TheIsleOfTheLost · 21/05/2023 22:43

@CharlottenBurger yes, but I love the film, so freely admit bias. Would have called a dc Victor if dp had been on board. Plus Eva (Braun) was his actual wife and therefore as evil as they come and that is a hugely popular name now. I would totally avoid Leni (Riefenstahl) by the way as I think that is just too uncommon here to associate anyone else with the name. But then it might be a popular name elsewhere. I think I am just rambling now.

midsomermurderess · 21/05/2023 21:39

GoodVibesHere · 21/05/2023 16:56

Ilse? That's not a name, surely? How do you pronounce it? Reading it, I'd say ill-ss.

Back to the drawing board I think!

Where do posters like you come from? Fully, proudly displaying your utter ignorance for all to see; such certainty, such ignorance.

CharlottenBurger · 21/05/2023 21:32

TheIsleOfTheLost · 21/05/2023 21:24

I can't believe so many people have not seen Casablanca. I do love the name and don't think is associated with the nazi's here. Ilse was one of the resistance and was trying to ensure that Victor, their leader, reached safety.

But Casablanca was a fictional film, and Ilse Koch was a real person. Of course, the name was common enough in German-speaking countries.

MotherOfCatBoy · 21/05/2023 21:31

Watch Casablanca. Ilse is a beautiful classic name, forever associated with Ingrid Bergman for me.

or choose Ingrid!

Luredbyapomegranate · 21/05/2023 21:28

I think it’s always said ill-suh, I’ve seen it spelt Ilsa.

it’s ok but not great, maybe

Ida
Ailsa
Aster

Would be alternatives

fairycupcakes · 21/05/2023 21:25

I’d pronounce this eel suh. I like it. Also agree with the PP who said Ailsa (ayl sa) - that’s pretty too x

TheIsleOfTheLost · 21/05/2023 21:24

I can't believe so many people have not seen Casablanca. I do love the name and don't think is associated with the nazi's here. Ilse was one of the resistance and was trying to ensure that Victor, their leader, reached safety.

CharlottenBurger · 21/05/2023 20:55

Correction: Ilse Weber didn't save a lot of Jewish children; rather, she worked in a children's infirmary in a jewish ghetto in Nazi Germany and when all of them were to be deported to Auschwitz, volunteered of her own free will to go with them, and was murdered there.

CharlottenBurger · 21/05/2023 20:50

GoodVibesHere · 21/05/2023 16:56

Ilse? That's not a name, surely? How do you pronounce it? Reading it, I'd say ill-ss.

Back to the drawing board I think!

It's a perfectly normal German girl's name, although personally it makes me think of Ilse Koch. Pronounced (non-rhotically) ill-ser. Also, though, Ilse Weber, who saved many Jewish children from the Holocaust. You will gather it was popular before 1945.

FilthyRich · 21/05/2023 20:25

@GoodVibesHere , it's definitely a name. It's pronounced eelzy (short ee) or ill-seh, depending on the country.

Original poster

yellowmeerkat · 21/05/2023 19:05

The spelling Ilsa is nice and less likely to have pronunciation issues I think but the negative associations (which I wasn’t aware of but am now after people mentioning upthread and googling) have put us right off, aside from the obvious misspellings and mispronunciations!

OP posts:

Notellinganyone · 21/05/2023 18:40

I teach an Ilsa. Pronounced Il- sa. Pretty name.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 21/05/2023 18:39

GoodVibesHere · 21/05/2023 16:56

Ilse? That's not a name, surely? How do you pronounce it? Reading it, I'd say ill-ss.

Back to the drawing board I think!

umm it’s a very popular name in many countries, just not uk!

aramox1 · 21/05/2023 18:19

Il-suh. Lovely and unusual name, can't believe there's people who think it's not a real name. Go for it if you both like it

GoodVibesHere · 21/05/2023 17:52

Phew! You'll be glad you didn't go for it OP, your daughter will one day laugh with relief when you tell her!

VenusClapTrap · 21/05/2023 17:35

Ils-uh. Beautiful name.

FluttiTutti · 21/05/2023 17:23

Don’t know it as a name, my default pronunciation would be aisle. If you have other choices then I’d go with literally anything else.

Pemba · 21/05/2023 17:20

I always thought it was said as 'ill-suh', but on the audio clip he was saying what sounded like 'ill-zay'.

I think it's a name that would cause confusion with spelling and pronunciation in the UK.

simbobs · 21/05/2023 17:14

It was a popular name in German speaking countries many years ago. It doesn't really have a non German pronunciation imo. It is Illsuh. If you are trying to give it a different pronunciation you should probably choose a different name.

JulieHoney · 21/05/2023 17:12

ill-sah

Like Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca. Wonderful woman, romantic name.,

Original poster

yellowmeerkat · 21/05/2023 17:10

Haha thanks guys, think this is what I needed to hear with this one.
Still adore our other choices so think we will stick with those :)

OP posts:

Littlegoth · 21/05/2023 17:08

Sorry. This is why I’m not telling anyone my name! I don’t want them to put me off! X