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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To pronounce this name differently

321 replies

babynameconfusion · 01/01/2017 12:19

DH and I like the name Felicia. But we would pronounce it 'Fuh-liss-ee-a'
rather than like Feleesha. What would you think if you saw a baby with this name? Would people always pronounce it wrong?

OP posts:
hefzi · 01/01/2017 13:13

I've never heard "Felicia" pronounced to rhyme with "belisha"-or Alicia or Marcia, for that manner: I think a PP is correct, and that that is the commoner pronunciation in the US - certainly within the UK, for generations the pronunciation has been as OP wants. Course, that doesn't matter if it's now commoner to use the other pronunciation Grin

Surely, though, it's just the same as any unusual name? Some will get it right first off, others will need some help.

EweAreHere · 01/01/2017 13:13

Felicia has a 'sh' sound in it for most people's knowledge/use of the name. You would be correcting people constantly, so as long as you're prepared to do that...?

Have you considered Felicity which is similar to the name/pronunciation you like but wouldn't cause such confusion?

cocopopsrock · 01/01/2017 13:13

It's like Alicia. Some people I know are called aleesha and come alisia. All spelt the same. Personal preference

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 01/01/2017 13:14

I'd think you're trying to be a Hyacinth Bucket / Bouquet.....

Don't do it.

ErnesttheBavarian · 01/01/2017 13:14

But why do some people think it would be pronounced feleesha?

That looks weird and wrong to me.

If I saw the name Felicia, I wold assume it wold be pronounced Fel-i-see-a

VeryBitchyRestingFace · 01/01/2017 13:15

Who the bloody hell pronounces it Feli-sha? It's Feli-ci-a anyway, OP.

I would pronounce it as Fe-lee-sha since that's the way I've heard the (albeit few) Felicias pronounce it.

Jux · 01/01/2017 13:17

BravoPanda, I do. Felisha, Patrisha, Marsha, Alisha etc. Why not? It's the pronunciation they've had for centuries.

They might have had your sort of pronunciation too, but I've not come across it until the last 20odd years.

DollyPlastic · 01/01/2017 13:17

Fe lee c ah

HappyFlappy · 01/01/2017 13:17

I would pronounce it as you do, OP. If anyone gets it wrong, you/she (in the fulness of time) can correct them.

It's a very pretty name.

babynameconfusion · 01/01/2017 13:18

But would kids pick up on the fellatio link? I wouldn't expect them to as it it isn't that close tbh.

OP posts:
TheLambShankRedemption · 01/01/2017 13:19

Bit close to Fellatio for my liking, but that's a different problem.

Was my first thought too. takes self off to naughty step

Olympiathequeen · 01/01/2017 13:20

Sounds too much like oral sex for my liking however you pronounce it

GinIsIn · 01/01/2017 13:21

I would rather duplicate a friend's child's name than call my child something they would need to correct every time they introduce themselves for the rest of their lives!

BravoPanda · 01/01/2017 13:21

Well in my 30 odd years the only place I've heard it with a 'sha' on the end for any of them apart from Patricia is in America.

scottishdiem · 01/01/2017 13:26

I think the OP is wanting it pronounced the French way?:

Not the English way:

If you are happy with the idea that its going to be wrongly pronounced throughout her life by people who she meets for the first time then go for it.

PolarEspresso · 01/01/2017 13:27

That's funny Jux, I would say "sha" is the more recent pronunciation, maybe imported from America.

Lots of names have alternate pronunciations, if the OP goes with Felisha she'd still have to correct all the people!e pronouncing it the other way!

BaronessBomburst · 01/01/2017 13:29

I always thought it was pronounced Fel -li-si-a anyway?

VeryBitchyRestingFace · 01/01/2017 13:29

I obviously read the OP wrong. Confused

I thought she was saying she wanted to pronounce the first part of the name differently, ie fUlicia as opposes to ^fElicia*.

quencher · 01/01/2017 13:31

Op, I wouldn't. There is a growing use of the name in a phrase that is negative on the internet and tv.
"Bye Felicia". I wouldn't put my child through that if I had the choice.

"When someone says that they're leaving and you could really give two shits less that they are. They're real name becomes irrelevant because nobody cares what it really is. Instead, they now are "felicia". From the urban dictionary.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 01/01/2017 13:34

My friend has this name, but a different spelling, Phylissia.

Megatherium · 01/01/2017 13:35

I would pronounce that Fellyssia. I would also say Alissia for Alicia, not Aleesha.

SilentBatperson · 01/01/2017 13:35

Yeah, don't call your kid the name in an increasingly popular diss.

Megatherium · 01/01/2017 13:37

Don't give your child a name you are going to deliberately mispronounce.

But it's not mispronouncing?

1horatio · 01/01/2017 13:37

I would pronounce this as
Fe Lee seeah...?

1horatio · 01/01/2017 13:37

If you give her that name you should probably be ok with most common pronunciations?

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