To think that if you have to ask how to pronounce a name, you should not use it for your baby?

[FlyMaybe]

Just that really.

Nobody could pronounce my maiden name. I have an unusual forename too which, although the pronunciation seems obvious, people mistake it for a different but similar name.

As an introverted child, I used to cringe when my name was incorrectly called out by teachers, doctors etc.

Why would you knowingly inflict that upon your child?

YANBU

I had an unusual surname too and my parents chose to give me an unusual first name to go with it... I hated it

One or the other is liveable with but both, no! I changed the surname when I got married and kept my married name even after I divorced - it was a common name and I was so grateful.

No idea why they chose my first name. My mum doesn't even like it now...

I don’t know OP but I am with you. I had a name issue as a child and HATED explaining every time I met someone new.

Because when you're a functioning human being and surrounded by people, friends, family that know you, they know your name to, oddly enough. And if the gp receptionist mispronounces it, who gives a toss.

You can be called Jenny and get called Jane all the time. Rebeccas get called Rachel daily where I used to work.

Give over.

Or should we just call all of our kids Sarah or Jim?

YANBU. Mind you, then again. If you don't know how to pronounce a name. How do you know if you like it.
Eg I love Elena (E-lay-na) but loath Eleanor- (El-en-a) even though there's only a small amount of difference.

Erm, that's not how you pronounce Eleanor

It's Elle-eh-noor. Rhymes with door.

Elena is Elle-eh-na and Eleana is Elle-ey-na.

I suppose when you name a baby you think of what you like, and because you know how the name is pronounced you don;t necessarily foresee a difficulty.

My middle name is my Grandmother's name - she died two weeks before I was born and my Mother wanted ot name me in honour. It is name that everyone mispronounces - it has two pronunciations and mine is the less common one. If I ever have to say it out loud for admin purposes people will ignore my pronunciation and repeat it back to me incorrectly. Like I don't know what my own name is

But I love it because of what it represents, and a bit of explaining is a small price to pay for carrying my Grandma's name.

I agree. I have an unusual first name and also hated growing up hearing "what?!" every time I said my name.

So much so in my late teens I chose to go by a different, much shorter name which has stuck into my thirties. Only my childhood friends know my real name and they don't even use it either.

Therefore I vowed my children would have "normal" easy to pronounce names.

Erm, but if it’s Elinor then it WOULD be as above. And it’s the same name as Eleanor, in all but spelling.

Not the ones I know. I know one of each.
Unless they're pronouncing their own Names wrong.

Tell that to Paul McCartney AnnabellaH

Can we include the unique spellings? I have a common eighties name with a unique spelling. Nobody spells it right, it's a pain in the arse, and unless I'm in hospital I just let people spell it the normal way even though it irritates me because I'm sick of constantly correcting everyone.

I changed my surname by deedpoll and was so tempted to change the spelling of my first name to the correct one. Unfortunately my mum got all upset and I felt too guilty, so now I just simmer quietly when it's spelt correctly and not my incorrect spelling.

I refuse to inflict such a name on my children, my criteria are that everyone has heard of the name and everyone can bloody spell it without asking!

I don't think I have ever forgiven my parents for lumbering me with three names that have to be spelled every single bloody time.

I now use a shortened form of my first name. When my father complained how hurt they were that I'd changed the name that they'd lovingly chosen for me, I should have told him that, in that case, he should have corrected his friend when he mangled it to the extent that I grew to hate my name.

I pronounce Eleanor the same way as Paul McCartney

And so many people have names that are unfamiliar because they are not English names - should their parents all have chosen names easily pronounced in the country where they.
My cousins have Polish names - they always have to spell them out - mainly the surname, but actually even though one of them has an easily prounounced first name people still freak out because his surname is 'forrin' so they think there must be some strange pronunciation of his first name "Roman ?? How do you spell that?" he used to get a lot as a child - not so much now obviously as we're getting a bit less insular !

My name was relatively hard to pronounce and I remember the shame of a supply teacher getting it wrong and everyone laughing I think part of my sister and I being ‘shy’ was actually down to having names nobody understood, we hated introducing ourselves!

'where they live..'

Eleanor is pronounced Elle-eh-noor.
I should know, it's my bloody name!

And to add to my rant I use a shortened version which I hate and makes me sound like a two year old but at least I don’t need to repeat it multiple times when I meet someone! rant done my children have easily spelt names

Depends on the accent where you liv Eleanor. It's always pronounced Elener where I am.

My son has names perfectly understood and pronounced in his father’s home country but repeatedly mispronounced here, or tentatively said. That said it’s a great name combo, sounds beautiful and a talking point. Probably only person in the country with combo. A name that also generates many funny nicknames

The Eleanor I know is ‘Elle-eh-na’ so I think we need to accept there are at least two pronounciations of this spelling.

The Beatles didn't pronounce it to rhyme with door either!

I pronounce Eleanor and Elinor the same. I have heard people say Ellen Orr for Eleanor and I don't like it. Elena, I would pronounce Elle EN Ah, Elaina or Ellen-ah, depending on whose name it was.

Mine is spelling. I have to spell out my whole name to people.