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Baby names

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

Original poster

Ngaio - how would you pronounce it?

54 replies

JamesDavidsMum · 17/04/2009 17:30

Am expecting my second child Sept/Oct and would like this name for a girl - but worried as to whether it would ever be pronounced even remotely properly.

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Colonelcupcake · 17/04/2009 18:06

ni-gay-o by looking at it may be difficult when they are a child

SarahL2 · 17/04/2009 18:02

I definitelty didn't get nigh-o from that spelling.

I would have gone for En-gay-o, probably cause I used to work with an Ngozi (En-gozi) and have a friend who's surname is Ng (En-jee)

Will cause havoc at school/doctors/phone calls from bank etc.

Maybe spell it the way you want it pronounced?

Themasterandmargaritas · 17/04/2009 18:01

It's lovely, go for it! I only mispronounced it because I am in Africa and therefore pronounced it the African way.

Podrick · 17/04/2009 18:00

Well the spelling isn't phonetic and it is an uncommon name in the UK, so the name is going to be mispronounced and also spelt incorrectly by most people.

that's not necessarily a deal breaker but why not go for the same name spelt phonetically?

MrsMattie · 17/04/2009 17:56

I have a name that English people cannot pronounce. I hated it as a child, but I love it now.

shonaspurtle · 17/04/2009 17:56

I'm fine with people mispronouncing my name if they've only seen it written down as you really couldn't work it out unless you were familiar with Gaelic, but I would be annoyed if someone heard my name (repeatedly) and didn't say it correctly.

Rindercella · 17/04/2009 17:56

I was at the hairdressers yesterday (honest) and was reading Hello! where one of the actors from The Bill was showing off his baby daughter called...Ngaio. They said it was pronounced Ny-oh. I like it.

Original poster
JamesDavidsMum · 17/04/2009 17:54

My partner and I both have issues with people spelling our names and I have issues with people pronouncing my name - even my (estranged) father doesn't say it properly.

OP posts:
Quattrocento · 17/04/2009 17:49

Nigh-o

shonaspurtle · 17/04/2009 17:47

It wouldn't be spelled correctly by people who just hear it, or pronounced correctly by people who just see it written down, but that shouldn't put you off - it's the same for lots of names.

I've got a gaelic name and have had this "problem" all my life. It's no big deal really.

It's easy to pronounce and sounds lovely so go for it.

Original poster
JamesDavidsMum · 17/04/2009 17:46

All interesting - it is Maori - I'm not but NZer and would like something a wee bit different - it is a tree, a suburb and yes Ngaio Marsh - Nigh-o.

It would be nice to have a little bit of a NZ connection as our surname is Welsh and feel with a welsh first and surname there may be others with the same name.

I have this sneaky feeling that I am having a boy - it's what seems to happen in our extended family.

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 17/04/2009 17:45

You need to hope for a new dramatisation of the Inspector Alleyn books...

claireybee · 17/04/2009 17:44

People will know how to say it once they've been told-it's not pronounced in a really random or difficult way. Go for it!

flightoftheeasterbunyip · 17/04/2009 17:44

Nye-oh

Not sure if that's right though.

MrsMattie · 17/04/2009 17:41

Ahhhh, Maori. Interesting.

If it is 'Nyo' it is definitely going to be pretty much constantly mispronounced in the UK...but it is lovely.

beatiebow · 17/04/2009 17:40

Tis a suburb of Wellington to me!

spicemonster · 17/04/2009 17:37

Nye-oh. It's maori. I have a friend with the name and I won't pretend that people can pronounce it even remotely properly.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't use it. I think it's a really pretty name

(am assuming you have some kind of NZ link. I think if you don't, that would be weird)

RosieGrieves · 17/04/2009 17:37

Def pronounced nigh-o - I've got a friend with that name

diedandgonetodevon · 17/04/2009 17:36

Un-guy-oh?
unlikely to be pronounced or spelled properly

claireybee · 17/04/2009 17:35

I've always said it Nay-o but I'm sure that's wrong.

artifarti · 17/04/2009 17:35

I work with one - it's pronounced Nigh-oh. It's from Australia or NZ, apparently.

Mind you, everyone thinks she's a Nigerian man until they meet her...

LaDiDaDi · 17/04/2009 17:34

Nye-oh

TheFallenMadonna · 17/04/2009 17:34

Maori - right?

Themasterandmargaritas · 17/04/2009 17:33

Guy-oh

MrsMattie · 17/04/2009 17:33

I have a friend called Ngozi, which she says 'very-soft-En-gozzy'.