to think that Sinjun is really daft?

[ToeKneeChestNut]

My SIL (DB's wife) loves the name StJohn, but doesn't like the spelling. I understand this, as people will often find it confusing and read it as Saint John. I would therefore steer clear of it.

However, she's decided (DB isn't interested in names, so she's choosing), that "Sinjun" is the best solution.

AIBU to think that this is silly? Their DS's last name (he's a couple of days' old) is Smith.

Neither SIL or DB are pretentious people, btw.

I appreciate that SIL or my sister might recognise who this is posting. but it is ok as she knows I think this is really daft. We get on well.

I thought that the replies on here would be useful to either tell me to mind my own, or persuade her to go for a different monker.

I doubt it is frowned upon as sacrilegious given St John in Jane Eyre ends up as a vicar, I believe.

Sorry, Crispian

These names are only ever appropriate if you have a title and are due to inherit a stately home imho...

And even then they are still pretty ghastly

Crispian Smith sounds like a variety of apple!

I was at University with a Korean guy called Seong Jin, pronounced "sinjun".

However we were at Cambridge and therefore there were a lot of posh people around, so he regularly got mail addressed to St John Lee 😀.

How about Barnaby or Montgomery?

I doubt it is frowned upon as sacrilegious given St John in Jane Eyre ends up as a vicar, I believe.
I don't want to disillusion you, but Jane Eyre is actually fiction, not real life. All sorts of things happen in fiction which would be odd in real life!

I had no idea that this name was pronounced like Sinjun. Why? It's the word Saint and the name John, why has it changed to Sinjun when they're written next to each other does this apply to Saint John's ambulance??? I've always called them Saint John's and so has everyone i know. I'm really confused here help

NotLachs I always have loved both Sufjan Stevens and the name Sufjan...but feared the multiple mispronunciations of the name.

Either go for the traditional spelling and be forever correcting those who mispronounce or don't use it! Maybe a similar sounding name? Reminds me of the 'Goodness Gracious Me' sketch, with St John Cooper (not Sanjeet Kapoor)

Do English people think that Morag is an odd name ?

And I thought Niamh was quite normal too.

Well ... if they want people to to think they are chavs then sinjun is the way to go. And if child want's to go to university one day then he needs someone to prepare him for the riddicule. Not for the name - but the way it is spelt.

Sin Jun-Un

I hope to god that this child does not grow up in Scotland he'd have the mic taken right out him

I suspect there might be the odd person somewhere in Scotland able to process it.

Crispian Smith. Except I bet he'll be Chris Smith

Chris Smith sounds like Christmas, but with a lisp.

I've never heard of St John/StJohn/SaintJohn being used as a first name. Only as a surname or as a first aid course. Never in a million years would I think/know to pronounce it as sinjun, and just going by this thread alone I'm definitely not alone in that.

When I first saw the thread title I assumed it was some sort of typo (but couldn't figure out for what!). I also envisaged a native American indian. In any event, I definitely did not think "Oh! That's actually StJohn!"

SIL says that Crispin is their postman's name

Oh aye. Named after the postman eh?

Has the baby shown any desire to wear shorts in midwinter or flung any red elastic bands into your hedge?

Or how about St N'Greavsie

Ooh, Barnaby is good!

I feel strangely invested in saving this stranger's child from being Crispy Smith now (at least Smith's are no longer the dominant crisp brand I guess!)

Tristan Smith
Barnaby Smith
Mortimer Smith
Sebastian Smith
Inigo Smith (if they're architecture fans? Lol)
Simeon Smith
Maxwell Smith
Josiah Smith
Felix Smith
Casper Smith
(Caspian also very cool!)
Jasper Smith
Otto Smith
Montgomery Smith
Darrell Smith
Darwin Smith (very cool! In my world)

Thanks for the condescension there egg. My pint rather was that a Victorian novelist (and vicar's daughter) would hardly have chosen an ungodly name for this character...

Besides which associations from literature do stick in people's minds, hence why so may have mentioned St John from Jane Eyre!!

Kr!stina - yes, they do. They think it's quaintly hilarious. Roderick also amuses them.

I also had a friend called Isla which was v unusual in England until Isla Fisher came along. My neighbours have a little girl called Isla and it hurts my Scottish ears hearing them say it...

I agree that Niamh is common. Never heard anyone mispronounce it.

I agree that Niamh is common. Never heard anyone mispronounce it.

Well it hurts my Irish ears to hear how the Scots pronounce Niamh. No it's not Neev, yes it is NEE-uv.

It will be embarrassing for the poor child. Think about explaining it all your life. My brother has an embarrassing name, so uncommon I won't mention it here. It has blighted his life. Not joking.

I'm really struggling to understand how 'St' can be pronounced 'sin'. Its a bit different to say just a silent 'h' thrown in, as thats common in a lot of words. I've never seen the spelling pronounced this away, (or heard of anyone called 'Sinjun' for that matter) and honestly thought the post was about naming a child Saint John.
It's obviously popular enough going by this thread. Anyone care to share the origin of it?

Ouch squoosh, where's your Celtic solidarity? I feel for the Irish when my neighbours on my other side screech Orla at their little girl (Aw-laaaaah)

Obviously, what I meant was I have never heard it said Niam , like Liam,.Although I have taught the odd Neve, I have taught more Niamhs (I wouldn't be surprised if some kids write it down wrong if they have never seen it but it is definitely an Irish name that has entered the mainstream)

And don't get me started on Fin - LAY

Or people who now spell Catriona Katrina because all hope was lost on pronouncing it ...

(and it isn't pronounced Katreena anyway!)

Not being a pedant at all

I'm really struggling to understand how 'St' can be pronounced 'sin'.

I can just about see how the two words run together in my accent (Scottish) might sound like SinTjon. In fact, SintjIn would probably be a more intuitive pronunciation.

No idea where the name originated, but I first heard it in Jane Eyre, where one of the characters was St John Rivers, and later Anne of the Island, where one of Anne's pupils was called St John (and railed against it).