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AIBU?

To think i know how my childs name is pronounced?

242 replies

crappymummum · 08/05/2011 14:36

So my friend says she has just had an in depth argument with one of her friends who i happen to know over my daughters name.

DD is called Luisa.Not Louisa but LuiSa as in emphasis on the S not the soft sounding s in Louisa.I think the name originates from Germany but is widely used in Spain.
My DD was born in Spain (we are now back in the UK) so i liked the thought of a Spanish name, especially as we planned on staying there for some time.My Aunt is Spanish and also called Luisa.

Apparently this argument started when the lady started arguing with my friend when she was pronouncing it correctly saying no its Louisa,it's stupid etc and how it is just an alternative spelling but pronounced the same etc etc.

This is becoming a bit of a problem as i have noticed friends/teachers etc calling her Louisa...even receiving invites to parties with Louisa on.

Should i just let them get on with it for an easy life for my daughter and just accept that Louisa is what she will be called?

AIBU to be really bloody annoyed about this woman?

OP posts:

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nijinsky · 08/05/2011 18:40

I think that must be it xstitch. Taxis are another matter too. Its a wonder I ever get to my destination, so many times have I heard "Never heard of it" and having resorted to spelling it phonetically. I do definatley have a slight Scottish accent, as English people comment on it occasionally, but in Scotland I am sometimes asked if I am English, when I have no trace of any English accent whatsoever. Its very strange.

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gastrognome · 08/05/2011 19:33

I think you are being a tiny bit unreasonable, though at the same time I can understand your frustration. But I think as others have said some people genuinely don't realize that they are mispronouncing a name, and the difference between Luisa and Luisa is pretty subtle.

Incidentally, as you may know, Luisa also exists as a name in Italy and Portugal (pronounced like Louisa) and quite possibly in other European countries. It would be hard for people to automatically know that your daughter has the Spanish version of the name - though of course once you have told them I guess they should make the effort to get it right.

By the way, my DD's name is pronounced differently by me and my husband, who is French. Hasn't caused any great confusion yet...

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gastrognome · 08/05/2011 19:35

... between Luisa Louisa and Luisa...

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PinotGrigiosKittens · 08/05/2011 19:38

Think the lady was very silly to have an argy about the pronunciation of your DDs name but you should probably accept people are going to pronounce it the english way. Because they're english. No harm or intent meant though I'm certain :)

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BitOfFun · 08/05/2011 19:39

Just keep correcting people. If Liza Tarbuck etc can get arsey about their name's pronunciation, so can you.

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TrillianAstra · 08/05/2011 19:45

Ralph Fiennes on the other hand...

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troisgarcons · 08/05/2011 19:48

Havng been given a completely stupid French name and people do use the English proninciation - I simply dont use my real name. People cant spell it or pronounce it.

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BitOfFun · 08/05/2011 19:50

Now I'm curious- whats the name?

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raindroprhyme · 08/05/2011 19:51

i know a Liza i get really i rate on her behalf when people call her lisa.
On the other hand i love the way my name is pronounced by middle eastern people and hate he way american's say it. Neither of which are how it is pronounced in my native accent.

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sheepgomeep · 08/05/2011 19:52

my ds regularly gets called klaron or kyran when his name is actually ciaran. really does annoy me

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ReindeerBollocks · 08/05/2011 19:52

YANBU to want her name recognised in it's own right, and with it's own meaning. It may be the Spanish form if Louisa, but it is still Luisa, and deserves to be pronounced as you want it to be.

But I do think you'll be correcting people on a regular basis.

I have an odd name, and have never bothered correcting people, but because it's quite a pretty name, I am often a disappointment in the flesh

Like onceamai, my children have very simple, easy names that I knew they wouldn't have to repeat numerous times.

Oh and lastly, I always order a taxi in the name of Jane - it's just easier that way.

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TrillianAstra · 08/05/2011 19:53

troisgarcons so if your name is Frenchything and people say thing when they should say theen do you go by the English version of your name or do you give up entirely and go by Helen instead?

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lolster · 08/05/2011 19:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JeremyVile · 08/05/2011 19:56

But but but....

Liza and Lisa - two dofferent names. Simialr but not the same name.

Louisa and Luisa - same name!

I might like how a geordie pronounces a certain name, but I'd be unreasonable to give that name to my child and expect my southern family, friends, neighbours to employ that accent when saying the name.

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ElfOnTheTopShelf · 08/05/2011 19:58

Its difficult, you just have to stick politely to your guns and remind people the correct name.
DD is call Evelyn, pronounced like "Ever Lynne" not "Eve Lynne". I correct people when they prounce it differently (am aware both ways are legitimate names!). DD is now five, and she corrects when people get it wrong, though annoying it appears one of her lunchtime helpers refuses to listen!

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JeremyVile · 08/05/2011 19:58

I know a fab brummie called Barry, perhaps I should have named ds in his honour. "This is baby barry, no, no...not Ba-ree, Bah -rroy"

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5GoMadOnAZ650 · 08/05/2011 19:58

I have a similar situation, dd2 is called Elana but most people assume it's Allanah and pronounce it and spell it as such, I'm not particularly concerned as I just make sure that when she sends invites, cards etc it's clearly printed Elana.

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troisgarcons · 08/05/2011 19:59

No - I have a completly different diminutive that doesnt relate to my French name at all!

It's a bit like - if I were called Margarite ...and people call me Margaret - I dont answer to it ! No one has used it in 40 years!

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RitaMorgan · 08/05/2011 20:05

JeremyVile - why do you think Liza and Lisa are different names, but not Luisa and Louisa?

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JeremyVile · 08/05/2011 20:19

Liza and Lisa, lee-zah or lie-zah and lee-sah. pronounce it as its written. They are as different to each other as Zara and Sara.

With Louisa/Luisa, the 'o' really is a red herring, u and ou both give the oo sound. OP's concern is over how the s is pronounced.

Ask a spaniard to pronounce Louisa and they'll say Loo-ee-sah.

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elah11 · 08/05/2011 20:23

ElfOnTheTopShelf Sun 08-May-11 19:58:06
DD is call Evelyn, pronounced like "Ever Lynne" not "Eve Lynne".

Surely its Ev-eh-lynne, there is no 'r' in Evelyn? Lovely name btw :)

With regard to Louisa/Luisa, its your child , you are entitled to pronounce the name the way you prefer, and to expect others to use your preferred pronunciation. I actually prefer the Spanish Luisa tbh, its softer somehow.

My ds1s name is Cian and even here in Ireland people can pronounce it wrong, its Kee-en but is often pronounced as Keen, which drives me mad.

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confuddledDOTcom · 08/05/2011 20:35

I do feel for you in this thread! I'm not sure why people are making out that you're getting upset about the name being spelt or pronounced wrong when you've said it's about a woman who said you don't know how to pronounce your own child's name!

I've got a lot of things coming into my head from my life from reading this.

Facebook - I get people misspelling my name ALL the time, it's there in front of them! They could C&P if they're not sure. I tend to find a shortening of their name and when they say "my name's not..." I say "and neither is my name..."

My eldest has a name with about six different spellings, can anyone in his family (only his family for some reason, mine get it) spell it right? She even gets a different (related) name on cards, which might explain why she gets called the awful shortening of it as it fits both names, by an aunt that she's fortunate to see once a year!

Our friend's little girl is called Eleanor. The first time I wrote it I missed out a letter, not done it since because I was told I'd spelt it wrong. Another friend insists on calling her Ellie, I can remember Eleanor aged about 3 or 4 years climbing on her lap, holding her face and saying "El ee nor" I thought "you go girl!"

My youngest's name is Siân not obscure you still get a lot of people saying it wrong. I made sure before my eldest started school she could spell both her own name and her sister's name - including her sister's accent - so that she never had to ask anyone and if anyone said it was wrong she could say "that's how Mummy said to do it"

I have a friend with a son of a similar age to Siân, his name is Cian. We find it amusing the comments we get from our American/ Canadian friends who think they're similar names! I once made my status message asking my American/ Canadian friends how they thought her name was pronounced so my friend did the same. My reply was "Charn" None of our American/ Canadian friends knew, despite them being almost two at that time and being told several times!

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Vallhala · 08/05/2011 20:37

YANBU. As one who's spent the last 40-odd years pulling people up on the pronounciation of her own name you have my every sympathy.

What infuriates me is that even after I've introduced myself and then tactfully corrected them by mentioning my own name in conversation, still the buggers will mispronounce it. Mine's not difficult, a classic English name and if they pronounced it as it is spelledand as I say it people wouldn't get frosty looks from me. But will they do that? Like hell they will!

As in, for example,

"Hello, I'm Amanda."

"Oh, hello Aminda..."

AAARGH!

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confuddledDOTcom · 08/05/2011 20:38

Liza can be Leeza or Lieza though.

Sara is supposed to be Sarah but the Brits couldn't get their head around it and said Sar-a so there became two names. There are plenty of Sarah's spelled Sara. Do the parents/ Sara not have a say in how her name is pronounced?

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heliumballoons · 08/05/2011 20:44

Oh minty I read your name correct before the explanation - can I get a gold star.

I do pronounce my DS name using the spanish pronounciation when I say the whole name (inc middle) and surname (double barralled as Spanish do diff way). Its hard not to as 2nd name and spanish family name are hard tp pronounce in English .

I also get lots of people asking me to spell the first part of DS surname. It isn't hard and one of the most popular Spanish family names out there.

I have to admit although I accept and also pronounce his name the English way now - I am a bugger to making a point with the accented 'a' when its not written correctly. (admit its a bit pass agg'ly done tho )

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