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Baby names

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Original poster

Should we use an accent when spelling our baby name Renee?

89 replies

TheCleverMember · 12/05/2026 09:40

Thank you to everyone who helped with our previous post.
We are now going to spell it
Renee

We are now debating whether to put accent on or not now
We want it to sound Ree-nee
We know the French pronunciation is ruh-nah and we do have french blood in the family.

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ButterYellowFlowers · 12/05/2026 12:43

You want it to be… ree nee? Like rhymes with knee?

Flutterbees · 12/05/2026 12:40

I cannot see how anyone will pronounce Renee ‘Ree-nee’…

Paddingtonridesagain · 12/05/2026 12:40

To me Renee is pronounced Renay/Renai. I have a name that most people cannot spell or pronounce. I have spent a lifetime explaining my name all the time. I would definitely not recommend anyone deliberately do this to a child.

scoopsahoooy · 12/05/2026 12:35

I wouldn't pronounce Renee 'ree-nee' - accent or not, I'd assume it was 'ren-ay'.

I had an auntie Reeny, maybe spell it like that (or Reenie) if that's how what you want it pronouncing?

greglet · 12/05/2026 12:30

When I was little, my parents had a friend called Rene pronounced Reenie. It was short for Irene so I’d do as others have suggested and call her Irene.

The original Greek version of the name could also be an option: Eirene pronounced very roughly Ih-ray-nay. It means ‘peace’.

Shinyandnew1 · 12/05/2026 12:30

If you want it to be pronounced Renee, then don’t spell it like that-with or without any accents.

NamingNoNames · 12/05/2026 12:28

Cypire · 12/05/2026 12:15

That might get pronounced. Ree-nigh
Rhyming with lye

Show quote history

Only by very strange people.

AgentPidge · 12/05/2026 12:26

Charlotte120221 · 12/05/2026 11:59

if you want the "Reenee" pronunication, you cannot spell it Renee - it's a completely different name.....

"Reenee" is a shortening of Irene. A better spelling might be Reenie?

Rene pronounced Reenee is the shortening of Irene.

Efacsen · 12/05/2026 12:24

Octavia64 · 12/05/2026 11:03

My gran was known as ree-nee

her given name was Irene

The same - have an elderly great aunt called Irene

Parcelpass · 12/05/2026 12:23

I would say Ree nee only as I knew a lady named that. Not overly keen on the name for a baby though.

Fifthtimelucky · 12/05/2026 12:22

Nearly50omg · 12/05/2026 11:58

Just put her official name as Irene and call her Reenee as her pet name then🤷‍♀️ every Irene I’ve ever known has been called reenee as a pet name

This is what I would do.

I think Irene is a beautiful name.

Cypire · 12/05/2026 12:15

DalmationalAnthem · 12/05/2026 11:05

ReeNee isn't Renee, you'd need to spell it Reenie for anyone to pronounce it the way you want.

That might get pronounced. Ree-nigh
Rhyming with lye

Cypire · 12/05/2026 12:12

faerylune · 12/05/2026 09:49

with or without accent Renee would be pronounced like Reh-nay by many people familiar with this name. ruh-nah isn't technically how Parisien French French would pronounce it either.

Yeah

I'd pronounce it ren-ay.
With the accent it would be more likely to be pronounced ren-ay.

Without it might be pronounced ree-nee

DalmationalAnthem · 12/05/2026 12:10

hairyunicorn · 12/05/2026 12:01

My mum spelt it Rennae to get around the pronunciation. It's a nightmare. I have to spell my name out every time. If you're going to pronounce it as nea at the end, do your child a favour and add the accent.

She wants it pronounced ReeNee

TappyGilmore · 12/05/2026 12:06

If you want the sound Ree-nee, I’d probably spell it Rini. I am sure I do know someone with this name, I can’t think who, and I don’t know if it’s short for
something or if that is their full name.

Renee will generally be pronounced as Reh-nay regardless of whether you use an accent over the e or not.

Seeingadistance · 12/05/2026 12:03

SnappyUmberLion · 12/05/2026 11:56

Says who? Renee Macrae is a well-known Scottish murder victim, and her name is pronounced 'ree-nee'.

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That's true, although I'm not sure that having to refer people to a murder victim as a guide to pronouncing your name is ideal.

Also, according to google, Renee Macrae was actually called Christina Catherine, so looks like Renee was a diminutive of Catherine.

hairyunicorn · 12/05/2026 12:01

My mum spelt it Rennae to get around the pronunciation. It's a nightmare. I have to spell my name out every time. If you're going to pronounce it as nea at the end, do your child a favour and add the accent.

NamingNoNames · 12/05/2026 12:01

Charlotte120221 · 12/05/2026 11:59

if you want the "Reenee" pronunication, you cannot spell it Renee - it's a completely different name.....

"Reenee" is a shortening of Irene. A better spelling might be Reenie?

The name Renee has been around for decades and was 'REE-nee' until recently.

Renee Bradshaw - Wikipedia

Renee Bradshaw - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renee_Bradshaw

ItGivesMeTheRightHump · 12/05/2026 12:00

Is anyone else thinking of Yvette Carte-Blanche?

I think people will pronounce it 'ay' at the end with or without the accent, OP, sorry.

catipuss · 12/05/2026 11:59

An accent is a pain in this country, just finding it on a keyboard, making sure it's on passports, bank accounts or not, a confusion for life. People will pronounce it as you do.

Charlotte120221 · 12/05/2026 11:59

if you want the "Reenee" pronunication, you cannot spell it Renee - it's a completely different name.....

"Reenee" is a shortening of Irene. A better spelling might be Reenie?

Nearly50omg · 12/05/2026 11:58

Just put her official name as Irene and call her Reenee as her pet name then🤷‍♀️ every Irene I’ve ever known has been called reenee as a pet name

SnappyUmberLion · 12/05/2026 11:56

Overthebow · 12/05/2026 11:04

Renee isn’t pronounced ree nee.

Says who? Renee Macrae is a well-known Scottish murder victim, and her name is pronounced 'ree-nee'.

astrozenica · 12/05/2026 11:49

If you want ree-nee than you could spell it Reenie or Rini maybe.

Renée pronounced ree-nee is just too confusing. 99% of people will pronounce it differently from what you want.

NamingNoNames · 12/05/2026 11:13

Soontobe60 · 12/05/2026 11:05

Surely it’s R’n-AhYe?

Renee as in the song is pronounced ‘Ren’ as in pen, ‘ee’ as in ay/bay/play/may

If you want to pronounce it Re as in bee nee as in knee then spell it Reenee

Edited
Show quote history

@Soontobe60 , Why would it be R’n-AhYe?
It would need to be spelt Renaïe to get that pronunciation.

AhYe doesn't sound like the ay in bay/play/may.