Is there such a thing as Creative Pronunciation, and isn't it a bit...

I'm going to have to go and have a scalding hot shower and a damn good scrub now. I'm feeling a little green.

oooh, also knew someone whose surname is Rabone - pronounced Ray-bone by his entire family and he for the first 5 years I knew him. Then for no reason he started pronouncing it Rab-on-ay

My name would have been better had it had a creative pronunciation because then it wouldn't have rhymed. But that is beside thepoint.

You can't take it upon yourself to tell someone else how their name is pronounced. I rather suspect they know better than you seeing as it's their own name.

My name is totally phonetic and workaday

and so are my children's

I just don't like the idea of people claiming to know better than a parent or the individual him/herself how a name is pronounced. It's rude, petty and arrogant. IMO.

I am being serious I did meet this people. I am surprised at how irate some people are becoming on this thread - I wonder what your real names are?

My post was light hearted, I was amused to meet these people. Death was polite and good natured when he told me how his name was pronounced, it was the first time I had come across. I can assure this is not one of lifes moments that I relish, I had never given it a second thought until I came across this thread.

Anger/ainjer - I was amused at how ainjy he was with me for not pronouncing his name "correctly"

I have a cousin called Sean - pron. See-an!

If someone says their name is Siobhan, pronounced Seeohban, shut up and deal with it. Whilst I would not advocate creative pronunciations, once it's done it's done and the parents' choice should be respected. The child can always change the pronunciation should they so wish.

Upsyone, perhaps that is how their surnames are pronounced and have been for centuries and you were wrong with your assumptions?

MamaLazarou - That's pretty much what I thought (although I (wrongly) thought the origin was Cath-leen instead of Cat-leen) but thank you for the elucidation. I bit my lip when friends named their daughter Caitlin (pron. Kate-Lynn)

We considered Catriona (as Katrina) for one of our DD's, but avoided it because of the pronunciation issues - we're in Scotland but yes, some Scottish people do say Ca-tri-oh-na. And reading this thread, I'm glad we called her something else and saved her some grief!

this is what keeps me coming back to this thread

Why in hell would you WANT to dictate to somebody else what their name is?

pointless petty little power grab - life is too short!

I've seen De'Ath pronounced Dee-Arth

and Anger as a surname would probably be pronounced Ain-jer, like Granger or whatever - seems perfectly logical to me as many surnames derive from occupations, like Fuller or Tanner

some people just like being bloody awkward and would relish the oportunity to say "no, no, your name is DEATH"

no idea why

UpsyOne, you're another one having a wee joke, yes?

The Catriona I know puts the emphasis at the "tree" sound iyswim. But it's soft and subtle and not easy for English speakers and ears, hence Katrina.

Mad Bad Tinsel person: Kate-Lynn started life as Kat-leen.

They should spell it Kate-Lynn if they're going to pronounce it that way.

Sweetsherry, to be honest, I'm embarrassed for you.

sweetsherry - it is not really pronounced Cat-ri-OH-na - but Cat-riuh-na. The 'riuh' is quite fast.

What about the posters who say that in their area it's pronounced with the "o" sound?

Are they idiots, or lying, or delusional?

It amazes me how some people mistake their own perceptions for fact. As social impairments go, I would say that that was more embarrassing than pronouncing a name differently.

Digressing from Catriona and Siobhan to surnames for a moment.

I have known people with the surnames Anger and Death.

Anger totally changed the pronunciation to make it sound like Angel replacing the L with an M - got very cross when I replied but your name is spelt Anger.

Death changed the pronunciation to Dee - arth.

Give it up! If you don't like your name then change it.

Oh well, you learn something new every day.

In Scotland, If someone said to me their name was Cat-ri-OH-na, I'd be embarrassed for them.

sweetsherry - I will accept that a lot of Scottish people pronounce Catriona as Katreena. But why do you think it has an 'o' in it? It is a Gaelic name. The Gaelic pronunciation is Cat-ree-uh-na. The Anglicized pronunciation is Katreena.

lol sweetsherry.

Actually, Catriona is pronounced Catree-oh-na by all gaelic speakers and Katreena is the anglicised pronounciation, so completely the opposite.

But you're just having a joke I know

(It is of course fine to use the Katreena pn, most people do)

I've come across a Sian pronounced Sy-ann and also one pronounced the usual way but spelt Sharn!

ok, Catriona is pronounced Ka-TREEN-a by all Scottish people who know how to spell+pronounce the name properly. End of.

Or are we suggesting SEE-O-BAN is a legitimate way to say Siobhan? It's the same argument.

Catriona is pronounced Cat-ree-uh-na in Ireland. So there.

Sweetsherry and Vivia, you are completely wrong. (And Vivia, you come across as a bit of a cow in that post - sorry.)