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Baby names

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

Original poster

Yoana or Yohanna? Registry office tomorrow!

85 replies

CandidPlum · 02/04/2024 10:37

I’ve recently had a baby girl and DH and I have really struggled to come up with a name we both liked and that felt ‘right’ and like her - so much so that we had to postpone our registration appt. Added complication is that the name has to work in both our native languages (English and German).

We now have just 24 hrs until the appt, can’t postpone again, and I’m still dithering between Yohanna and Yoana. I love both and am slightly panicking that I’ll go for the wrong option - lack of sleep probably doesn’t help! DH is happy with both so has left the decision to me.

Does anyone have thoughts on either name please before I drive myself completely up the wall going back and forth between them?

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TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 12:08

ShinyEspeon · 02/04/2024 11:54

Because then there's no ambiguity. I could write Mo-a-na but that could still be "a" as in apple or "a" as in mast. Which in some accents is the same, or could be different. I'm from the SE and would write that I say "Barth" "grarss" "marst" even though there isn't technically an r sound, it's the closest way to write it.

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So you think that just “a” can be pronounced in several different ways according to where you come from, yet you think adding an “r” removes ambiguity?!

How on earth can it do that when all of Scotland, the West Country, Northern Ireland, the US (and many more areas I have no doubt forgotten) sound out the “r” sound?

What you mean is it “removes ambiguity” if you only look at everything from the perspective of the way YOU speak. Sorry to break it to you but it ADDS ambiguity form my perspective!

FineWordsButterNoParsnips · 02/04/2024 12:01

CandidPlum · 02/04/2024 11:09

Sorry, I should have said in the OP!

Yohanna: Yo-ar-nna (German pronunciation)
Yoana: Yo-arna (so like Moana with a y)

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Why are you pronouncing it with an 'ar' sound? No one would know that from Yoana or Yohanna, so as a PP said, you'd have to add an R.

ShinyEspeon · 02/04/2024 11:54

TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 11:48

So why add an “r” that is not being pronounced anyway if you are trying to represent a phonetic spelling?!

Anyway OP says she’s German and doesn’t say where in the UK she lives.

And why assume that all readers don’t pronounce their “r”s? I pronounce mine (Scotland).

Edited
Show quote history

Because then there's no ambiguity. I could write Mo-a-na but that could still be "a" as in apple or "a" as in mast. Which in some accents is the same, or could be different. I'm from the SE and would write that I say "Barth" "grarss" "marst" even though there isn't technically an r sound, it's the closest way to write it.

mumofds's · 02/04/2024 11:54

I love Yohanna I lived in Czech Republic and met a lot of Johanna's pronounced with a y and lots of little girls names where shortened to Johi also pronounced with a Y with the J spelling

CorylusAgain · 02/04/2024 11:54

TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 11:32

I believe she is choosing between two names, not two spellings of the same name.

Sorry, I should have said in the OP!

Yohanna:Yo-ar-nna (German pronunciation)
Yoana:Yo-arna (so like Moana with a y)

That reads to me that they would be pronounced the same - no h and long a (ar)

11NigelTufnel · 02/04/2024 11:48

I wouldn't be trying to spell it phonetically in UK, or when she goes to Germany, speaks to relatives etc, they will get it wrong too. Just go with the name you like amd the proper spelling. Once it has been pronounced to people they will get it for next time.

TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 11:48

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/04/2024 11:42

Moana doesn’t have an “r” sound in it?

Unless you have a rhotic English accent (e.g. Scottish, Irish, American), 'Moarna' sounds exactly the same as 'Moana' or 'Mo-ah-na'. 'Ar' (and indeed the word 'are') do not have an actual 'r' sound in them in most English accents in England.

So why add an “r” that is not being pronounced anyway if you are trying to represent a phonetic spelling?!

Anyway OP says she’s German and doesn’t say where in the UK she lives.

And why assume that all readers don’t pronounce their “r”s? I pronounce mine (Scotland).

FortunataTagnips · 02/04/2024 11:47

Johanna (pron. Yohanna). (I knew a Johanna growing up and no one had a problem with pronunciation once they’d been told.)

WhereAreWeNow · 02/04/2024 11:46

I would go with Johanna (with Y pronunciacion).

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/04/2024 11:44

Is Yohanna the easiest spelling? OP says it's to be pronounced "Yoarna"

I'm pretty sure the OP is choosing between two slightly different names.

Yoana - to be pronounced 'yo-ah-na'
Yohanna - to be pronounced 'yo-hannah'

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 02/04/2024 11:42

Moana doesn’t have an “r” sound in it?

Unless you have a rhotic English accent (e.g. Scottish, Irish, American), 'Moarna' sounds exactly the same as 'Moana' or 'Mo-ah-na'. 'Ar' (and indeed the word 'are') do not have an actual 'r' sound in them in most English accents in England.

bloodyeffinnora · 02/04/2024 11:33

I prefer Yoana

TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 11:32

I believe she is choosing between two names, not two spellings of the same name.

CorylusAgain · 02/04/2024 11:26

CurlewKate · 02/04/2024 11:23

Yohanna. When in doubt go for the easier spelling.

Is Yohanna the easiest spelling? OP says it's to be pronounced "Yoarna"

Pemba · 02/04/2024 11:24

I think the spelling with a 'J' looks nicer written down, people will soon pick up that you pronounce it with a 'Y' sound as you're German, and if a few people initially say it with a 'J' sound, does that matter?

Do people actually write it with a 'Y' in Germany? No need to pander to us Brits!

I would say definitely Johanna (or Yohanna) rather than Yoana though, the pronunciation is a bit unclear on that one, so you might get people saying 'Yoh-na' to rhyme with Mona.

CurlewKate · 02/04/2024 11:23

Yohanna. When in doubt go for the easier spelling.

CorylusAgain · 02/04/2024 11:23

Yohanna I would pronounce Yo - Hannah. With the 'h' and short 'a' not yoarna

Yoana I'd be unsure how to pronounce and would consider yoarna a possibility

If you don't want the 'h' pronounced then I wouldn't include it in the spelling

TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 11:22

TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 11:21

Moana doesn’t have an “r” sound in it?

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And if you want an “r” in Yohanna you’ll need to write it Yoharrna.

TimeandMotion · 02/04/2024 11:21

CandidPlum · 02/04/2024 11:09

Sorry, I should have said in the OP!

Yohanna: Yo-ar-nna (German pronunciation)
Yoana: Yo-arna (so like Moana with a y)

Show quote history

Moana doesn’t have an “r” sound in it?

Original poster
CandidPlum · 02/04/2024 11:16

Thanks so much everyone, this is really really helpful!

OP posts:
Original poster
CandidPlum · 02/04/2024 11:14

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 02/04/2024 10:49

I think Johanna would be pronounced as yohanna in Germany so spelling it that was reduces the ambiguity

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That is indeed why we went with the y option 😊

OP posts:
Deardear17 · 02/04/2024 11:11

ShinyEspeon · 02/04/2024 10:48

Yohanna is easier to pronounce, it's obvious from the spelling. With Yoana it could be Yo-na, Yo-anna, or even Yo-arna, like Moana.

i never knew that’s how Moana wa a pronounced!!
I thought it was no-Anna lol

Original poster
CandidPlum · 02/04/2024 11:09

Sageyboots · 02/04/2024 10:45

Johanna pronounced with a Y?

Yes exactly!

OP posts:
Original poster
CandidPlum · 02/04/2024 11:09

DSD9472 · 02/04/2024 10:44

How are you pronouncing them? In my mind it would be:
Yohanna- Yo- Hannah
Yoana- Yo-Anya

Sorry, I should have said in the OP!

Yohanna: Yo-ar-nna (German pronunciation)
Yoana: Yo-arna (so like Moana with a y)

OP posts:
NCfor24 · 02/04/2024 11:06

Yohanna

I'm a registrar and whilst I won't make final decisions for people, I am often asked how I'd pronounce a certain spelling so the couple can minimise the risk of people getting it wrong!
I think Yohanna is obvious but Yoana is open to being said a few ways.

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