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Original poster

Do you love or loathe the name Elhan for a boy???

155 replies

Claramam · 27/01/2021 21:13

Hi
Myself and husband are trying to pick a boys name but cannot agree on the name Elhan which I adore and is my only choice.
I'm due in 3 days, Can I have everyones honest opinion do you love it or hate it?
I won't be offended 😜

OP posts:
Ginfordinner · 28/01/2021 07:18

I guess it depends where you live Rockbird. Clearly, most posters have never come across this name before. I think the difficulty is that it isn't obvious how to pronounce it, and it looks too much like a typo. Whereas most Muslim names are easier to pronounce and look less like a spelling error.

DareIask · 28/01/2021 07:29

Nope.

I'd assume you couldn't spell or made it up.

KatherineJaneway · 28/01/2021 07:31

@cloverleafy

I would assume it was a typo of Ethan
Agree
NeverDropYourMoonCup · 28/01/2021 07:33

Knew a Turkish kid with the name.

He was called Ellen.

UserMcNewName · 28/01/2021 07:34

I read it as Ethan as well since that's so common and I've never heard of Elhan. I love Ethan but Elhan is too confusing. Especially written in pen, people will assume you didn't cross the t.

Once I figured out it wasn't a typo I'd assume you tried to make Ellen male. My default was Eel-an or ill-an as pronunciation seeing it but hearing it I'd probably assume Alan or Ellen with a slight accent.

Deathraystare · 28/01/2021 07:35

Poor sod will be called Ellen or Helen by all the other kids!

purpledagger · 28/01/2021 08:07

Sorry, I'm still not clear on how you are pronouncing the name.
You are saying that it's not Ellen, it then it's like Ethan, it with an l instead of a t, but the h is silent, but to me, that's Ellen.

By all means, call your son whatever you both like, but make the pronunciation obvious.

Luckyelephant1 · 28/01/2021 08:22

I think OP means EE-lun as the pronunciation but yes it was a bit hard to decipher.

DodoApplet · 28/01/2021 08:47

Speaking personally I think it's a delightful name - but just for your info, the pronunciation would be the same as the name of a river feeding a network of reservoirs in Wales (www.elanvalley.org.uk/). It's a beautiful place - well worth a visit in you're ever in the area - but it occurs to me that if you live anywhere near it, he might possibly get teased at school for being named after a reservoir. Just a thought.

longwayoff · 28/01/2021 08:53

Ellen? 10 years of misery and bullying ahead for him. So it has an aitch in it. Seven year olds dont care about your aitch. Why would you do this to him?

MiddleClassProblem · 28/01/2021 09:01

This is one of those mumsnet threads that I can’t relate to the replies in real life. Most posters here would really struggle with DD’s class list according to this thread. It’s really not that much of a struggle to pronounce, is it?

Ginfordinner · 28/01/2021 09:50

@MiddleClassProblem

This is one of those mumsnet threads that I can’t relate to the replies in real life. Most posters here would really struggle with DD’s class list according to this thread. It’s really not that much of a struggle to pronounce, is it?
It's not obvious though. I have a very unusual name, but it is spelled in a way that is obvious to pronounce. I think this is what most posters are trying to point out.
FatCatThinCat · 28/01/2021 09:52

Sorry OP but I think it's a horrible name.

MiddleClassProblem · 28/01/2021 10:03

@Ginfordinner I disagree. There are plenty of words with a silent h and “an” being pronounced as “en” is just lazy. I doubt it would pronounced Elhan. My brother has a difficult name to pronounce, far more than this. In the 90s people would do the lazy options but these days people make an effort to be more aware of multicultural names.

I’m not saying it wouldn’t happen at all but I think there are a lot of people feigning ignorance.

I think it’s perfectly clear how to pronounce it. I think if people were struggling they are more likely to pronounce the h rather than write Ellen or think “someone misspelled Ethan”.

Yousexybugger · 28/01/2021 10:09

I think I prefer Ilhan. Gorgeous meaning though, about having a beautiful voice.

MiddleClassProblem · 28/01/2021 10:10

Also I don’t think a child would have a lifetime of having of woe with this name either. As someone who has had a surname that’s difficult to pronounce and spell, I can assure you, most people only need to be told once and they get it. This name is in no way as difficult to get as others.

The main problem with this name is that her DH does want to use it. That’s why they need a new one.

Yousexybugger · 28/01/2021 10:16

Yeah, I don't think he will have trouble, it's written as it's pronounced pretty much (ok, the 'h' isn't emphasised but that hardly changes it much). If anyone says 'Ethan' he can just correct them and say it's a Qu'ranic name.

If DH doesn't like it though, I think you'll need to find a new one.

sofiaaaaaa · 28/01/2021 10:19

@FatCatThinCat

Sorry OP but I think it's a horrible name.
Well that’s pretty rude/racist considering it’s an established name in other cultures. Albeit OP has butchered the original pronunciation.
Yousexybugger · 28/01/2021 10:31

Well that’s pretty rude/racist considering it’s an established name in other cultures

Not racist at all, no more than anybody thinking John or Mary are horrible names. The OP asked for opinions.

Ginfordinner · 28/01/2021 11:02

I think it’s perfectly clear how to pronounce it

I disagree. It is probably because I have never heard of it before, and neither have most of the posters on this thread. However, I would only need to be told once to know because I think it is important to get people's names right.

Whether people like or dislike the name is just personal taste, not racist. There are a lot of English names I dislike but that doesn't make me racist.

Mamadothehump · 28/01/2021 11:02

At 1st glance I read it as Ethan. Then once I realised it was an l and not a t, I ready it as Ellen.

LadyCatStark · 28/01/2021 11:12

Looks like Ethan forgot to cross his t and sounds like Ellen.

Logantrical · 28/01/2021 11:14

I don't like it and I think it would cause problems for your child.

ZippedyDooDa · 28/01/2021 11:17

Never heard of it before. Sounds like 'Ellen'. Sorry, hate.

PattyPan · 28/01/2021 11:20

I don’t loathe it but I don’t really like it either. I wouldn’t know how to pronounce it from looking at it. Also I don’t like Elon Musk so I wouldn’t like that association. If I met someone called Elhan I would assume they were Turkish or maybe Albanian rather than assuming it was a misspelling though.