To ask how you would pronounce this name?

[Notss]

Hi all,

Sorry if this is the wrong place:

My little sister is expecting her first child and if it is a girl wants to call her “Sian”.

She sent it to me in a text and I replied “What - like See-Ann?” And she told me I was being daft.

So how would you pronounce such a name?

i always thought Shaun and Sian were similar sounding names

Sian is a Welsh girl's name, pronounced Sharn - the equivalent of Jane.
Sion is a Welsh boy's name, pronounced Shorn - the equivalent of John.

'Sion a Sian' was a gameshow on Welsh-language TV - better known on English-speaking TV as Mr & Mrs. I think the Welsh one came first, though.

Both names sometimes do and sometimes don't have the accent over the second vowel - but I can't find how to type it anyway!

I've always pronounced it Sharn but could understand it being pronounced Shaan in a different accent to me (I'm a Londoner, so obviously pronounce bath barth.) Never known it to be pronounced SeeAnne, if I have I probably assumed they'd pronounced it wrong and would correct them!

Talking of Welsh names, I have a friend called Rhian which is a really pretty name and is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable. The number of people who pronounce it as Ree-ann, stressing the second syllable is quite incredible. They seem to think it rhymes with Leeann.

Thanks showofhands that makes sense. To those of us that say R it just seems so random to stick one in where it doesn't belong, but I get it now.

Padparadscha sorry (again), it’s usually meant aggressively so I reacted aggressively. my mistake (again!)

Genuinely didn’t know about the pronunciations to be honest, but then I don’t know anybody who is Welsh so lesson learned.

Why doesn’t Welsh automatically capitalise on iOS? How odd!

I'm a Londoner, so obviously pronounce bath correctly

But if you don't pronounce the R why put it into a word (that doesn't have an R silent or otherwise) when describing how it's said?

Because the easiest way to describe how a word is said is by comparison with other words whose pronunciation is commonly understood. So if we have a hundred other words where "ar" makes the right sound, using "ar" in our description of how we say it provides the best communication of the sound we're on about. Sadly, it only works for people with the same accent.

Shan (long 'a'). Shahn.

Sharn, and surely that's obvious?

In Wales Sian is pronounced Shaan, Dylan is pronounced Dull-an and Rhys has a rolling R sound at the beginning as Rh is actually one letter. Please excuse the lack of ‘to bach’ (little roof) on Sian as I can’t do one on my iPad. In Wales we laugh at the pronunciation Si-Anne for Sian, however Dillon and Reece are accepted English variations.

My friend (Irish) pronounces her name SheAnn

To me, Sian is pronounced Shahn.

I had a colleague at work who pronounced her name Sigh-Anne. I so wanted to call her 'blue' (cyan)

Shaan/ Sheaan

Sian is Welsh certainly - but OP what do you mean when you say it is a "transitional" Welsh name?

I don't think you're silly!

i used to work with a Sian and I didn't know the 'right' way until she introduced herself...

Lovely name though! But I am bias becauae the Sian I knew was lovely!

Diolch yn fawr mum11970 for the summary!

YeTalkShiteHen pfft probably read like me being a knob (often do) so no need to apologise. Many people outside of Wales don’t seem to know the difference, it surprises me! When my friend (Welsh) names one of her children Dylan, my English partner couldn’t get his head around how to say it. We were all wrong according to him . Then again, he’s from the SE and also says ‘bath’ ‘grass’ and all that the wrong way...

Thanks Padparadscha I’ll try not to be so defensive in future!

Haha I’m Scottish so anyone from the SE (I went to uni in Reading) can only understand me if I’m not drunk, angry or animated

I’m now questioning if Reading is SE or just S

All the see-ann's, si-anns, she-anns aren't being serious are they?

Sharn. same as Cian.

Sharn to rhyme with darn.

Croeso infinite

Ha ha, this reminds me of a story told by my friend (possible urban legend) of reading a register as a school teacher to come across this name Lee-r. After trying various options such as lee and leah, the girl piped up "no miss you pronounce the dash, it's leedasher!) misses point of thread

Shan

Shan, no r as i’m Scottish and it would sound daft. I’ve known two, one at school and another at work. My manager kept referring to her as ‘see-Anne’ or ‘sigh-anne’ i used to want to shout ‘its Shan, fucking Shan ok!’