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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to give our baby a Welsh name even though we are not Welsh?

59 replies

stencil · 21/08/2012 21:41

We are thinking of naming our new baby girl Eleri(e) but are wondering if its ok to use such a traditional Welsh name when we are not Welsh and have no Welsh ancestry - or am I worrying unnecessarily? DH thinks its fine.

Also if anyone can help - we're unsure about the spelling and pronunciation. We prefer the spelling Elerie and wondered if this is an accepted spelling in Wales as I've only ever come across Eleri. I also don't know which is the correct pronunciation as it could possibly be pronounced in two different ways.

OP posts:
bronze · 21/08/2012 22:03

here

bronze · 21/08/2012 22:04

Problem with saying rhymes with is that people will pronounce that word differently too

londone17 · 21/08/2012 22:07

I'm Welsh and it's a lovely name. It's spelt Eleri and pronounced ' L-air-ee'.

NCForNow · 21/08/2012 22:08

Berry and Terry are closer.

LovelyMarchHare · 21/08/2012 22:08

I have a Welsh surname but no real known Welsh ancestry (certainly no one in my lifetime). I have a DD called Meredith which, coupled with the surname, makes her sound very Welsh indeed. I quite like that though.

wheresmespecs · 21/08/2012 22:09

interesting - I have never seen any other spelling apart from Eleri, and others have helped you nail the correct pronunciation!

I admit though I know it is none of my business, I'm wondering why you want to use a welsh name, and one which kind of relies on a Welsh language pronunciation, when you don't have any welsh connection? I mean, I get that you're not being as hardcore as you could, with say a Lleucu or Buddug etc - but aren't you a bit concerned that people she meets might assume she has a heritage that she sort of doesn't? Just wondering.

wheresmespecs · 21/08/2012 22:11

March hare, I'm really keen to know - why would you want your DD to sound very Welsh if she isn't?

I am genuinely interested in this, I had no idea that sounding like you might be a bit Welsh was so desirable!

wheresmyfairytale · 21/08/2012 22:12

Completely unlurking for this. This is my name... it's El - air -ee as others have said. I love it now but did not as a child. (My mum is Welsh, but I grew up in England) Other children could always pronounce it fine, but often teachers/adults in general would pronounce it incorrectly - usually Ellery (like Celery) which is a boy's name. Only a few people call me by my full name though, most people call me a shorter name (rhymes with Jelly!)

Original poster
stencil · 21/08/2012 22:15

wheresmespecs - no I'm not worried about people's assumptions. We just like the name very much but do agree that it seems to be a name that relies on a Welsh language pronunciation - that's why I'm canvassing opinion before we decide just to be sure.

OP posts:
NCForNow · 21/08/2012 22:16

I'm from North Wales....could the stress be different?

LovelyMarchHare · 21/08/2012 22:18

because I am from a very boring town in the middle of nowhere and having a name which hints at a more interesting heritage is a teeny bit more exotic.

londone17 · 21/08/2012 22:18

Maybe as accents vary.

Original poster
stencil · 21/08/2012 22:19

wheresmyfairytale - thanks so much! That's exactly what I wanted to know. I can see that a lot of people would assume your name rhymes with celery. Does/ did it bother you that you get the two pronunciations? Do you correct people?

OP posts:
MyDogShitsMoney · 21/08/2012 22:20

Bit confused OP. N

othing against you using a Welsh name but how can you like a name if you don't know how it sounds or looks?

Tabliope · 21/08/2012 22:22

I know two Eleri's and think it a lovely name. The pronunciation that a few people have put in here though doesn't seem quite right to me - people have put el-air-ee but to me that means the ree at the end of the name isn't being sounded out as 'air' doesn't have a rolling r in it so I pronounce it el-air-ree and both the Eleri's I know are pronounced that way (but a bit faster than saying el-air-ree - i.e. elairee).

Viperidae · 21/08/2012 22:24

NFC My family background is N Wales too and I thought it as you did so maybe there is regional variations.

LittleWhiteWolf · 21/08/2012 22:25

My kids both have Irish names. My name is German, my sister French, DH Roman. Does it matter? If you love the name go for it.

Tabliope · 21/08/2012 22:25

I think if you like the name go for it. I usually think you should have a link when choosing a name from another country but I'm changing my mind. If you like it why not have it. Anyone asks just say you spent a lot of time there as a kid or something and the B&B landlady you used to go to was called Eleri, and she left you money in her will so you'll always love her :)

Rhubarb78 · 21/08/2012 22:27

Beautiful name, go for it. Ds has an Irish name and we are not Irish, I have a Greek name (very common) but I am not Greek. Names travel

complexnumber · 21/08/2012 22:29

I am a bit Welsh. We called our daughter Bethan as it is a beautiful name and reflects a part of her background.

We have found that few people outside of Wales have heard of it, and many assume it is Bethany.

That's not a major problem to us, we live overseas and misunderstandings about names are common place, but if you can imagine this being an irritation maybe think again.

(Eleri is a lovely name btw)

sausagewallet · 21/08/2012 22:30

I'm Welsh, and I had a friend called Eleri when I was a kid. I think it's lovely and if you like it then go for it.

DS2 has an Irish name, even though neither DH or I have any Irish heritage (DH is English) and we live in England. It was the only name we both could agree on.

wheresmyfairytale · 21/08/2012 22:31

When I was very little I remember it bothering me a lot - I didn't like being different and was quite shy as a child so hated the attention that it brought me. Other children were brilliant though and I clearly remember a supply teacher doing the register and calling out 'Celery?' and the entire class shouted at her, completely infuriated ' it's El-Air-Y it rhymes with fairy...'

My Welsh Grandfather used to pronounce it slightly differently (probably due to his accent) More El erry (like the erry bit of Kerry if that makes sense?!) I think either are fine, as long as it's not Ellery.

As I got older I grew more confident and now I do love it. I have to say though, I use my nickname for work - I couldn't be bothered to go through the whole issue of explaining how it's pronounced. Don't let that put you off though - I've been called the shorter name by my close family forever so it's become 'my' name as well. Most people I know do know what my full name is, and I'm happy for them to use it. Also, I've noticed that I've got older that people are far more open to 'unusual' names and usually ask how to pronounce it rather than just blundering in as they did when I was little. I know of at least 2 friends of friends who claim they are going to use it for their future DCs so hopefully I haven't put them off!

Loriens · 21/08/2012 22:41

Lovely name and no reason not to use it if you like it.

I have a Welsh name already mention on this thread (had a Welsh grandfather) which raised a few problems when I was younger as people wanted to spell it with an apostrophe or pronounce it incorrectly.
I love it now though and have still only met a couple of people with the same spelling and they tend to be younger than me. The exception being a rather more famous one who is slightly older.

WelshMaenad · 21/08/2012 22:41

complex, Bethan is a BEAUTIFUL name. The most stunning. #tinybitbiased.

I'm welsh and gave my daughter a Scandinavian name. Go figure!

Eleri is gorgeous.

complexnumber · 21/08/2012 22:51

"complex, Bethan is a BEAUTIFUL name"

Thank you WelshMaenad, I was born in Morriston Hospital many years ago, my mum was originally from Ystradgynlais even more years ago.

Whilst she has now passed away she was so happy that one of her grandchildren had a Welsh name