Using a Welsh name when we aren't Welsh

[stegasaurus]

The name is Eirlys (pronounced Air-liss). We aren't Welsh and we don't live in Wales. No one would know how to spell or pronounce it if we use it, so would it be cruel?

I know an Eirlys from East Sussex. I don't know if she had much problem with people mispronouncing though.

I am English, DH is Welsh. We live in England and our little boy is Dewi.
The Welsh contingent obviouslt pronounce it correctly, but my family have struggled a bit. Sometimes we get "dew-ee" or "dow-ee", even "Derry". I get around it by telling people "It's like "Debbie" but with a "wuh" instead of a "buh". I think you need a short simple way to explain the pronounciation to non-Welsh speakers.

Team - I love Dewi! I know my Mum's side of the family will say 'Dewi' but worried DP's family will just call him Dewey like the little one off Malcolm in the Middle.

I also like Rhodri. Rhydian is my fave but DP hates it and thinks people will judge because of the bloke off the X Factor a few years ago

My name is welsh even though i have nothing to do with wales and no one can spell it or pronounce it. I do find it very annoying but also don't know anyone else with my name.

I think you should call your baby whatever you like! obvs - but yeah, some names are harder than others. Eirlys (eyre-liss, I'd say - I'm a south walian) is towards the tricker end of the scale, esp if you don't live in Wales. Lovely name - Eira is my favourite. Or Mali.

I'm semi welsh speaking, my partner is fluent, we live in South Wales, but even we wouldn't look at Gwawr, Buddug, or Lleucu unless we moved to deepest mid-wales and pretty much did everything in welsh! My mate changed her name from Buddug to Elen as an adult - she was basically living in England, and Buddug pronounced correctly sounds beautiful and soft - pronounced as written, it sounds horrible.

Mind you, what do I know - one of my son's names is Euros, and it never occurred to me for a minute it would cause any trouble... doh.

Ha gloyw! I think I know your friend. Creative type?

I love Euros.

Sister is a Sian, from before it was a name associated with famus people, and didn't live in Wales (Grandad is Welsh/ mum have very Welsh maiden name). Being called Stan drove her nuts as a child!

OTOH I am not Muslim and ds2 would have been called Aisha so what do I know?

I'd say weigh up the pros and cons and then go with your heart.

ConstanceFelicity, yes, she is a creative type! How weird, I feel like I've 'outed' someone now....I wonder if I know you. eeep, freaky MN moment. (typical welsh, wherever we go we bump into someone we know from back home....)

I know who you mean too gloyw. I used to be in the same line of work pre-DCs! Wonering if I know you and Constance too!!

Another one! And in less than an hour... That is so funny. Small welsh world, innit. Well, our mutual friend is very lovely, she must know a lot of people. And you don't get many Buddugs these days, do you.

We might well know each other - I shan't be outing myself on a thread, but if you can't sleep for curiosity, feel free to PM me.

Weird how much Dewi gets mispronounced - I've heard a lot of 'Dowie's'. I love the name Llew, but outside Wales I assume it ends up as 'Loo' or 'Clew' or something.

I've never met her but I really want to know how to pronounce Buddug!

Heh - it's 'bithig' - with the 'th' voiced, so 'th' as in 'earthenware', not as in 'thirsty.'

And the emphasis on the first syllable, as in 'banjo' not as in 'amaze'.

stegosaurus, be warned - this is the kind of conversation you might end up having a lot over little Eirlys's head!

mejon and gloyw, I don't know her that well- I worked with her a few years ago, and she was so lovely. I probably don't know y'all, but if you worked in that industry in Cardiff, you may well know my DH, who was a regular at the Cameo Club before I put a stop to all that nonsense... :o

Buddug is a lovely name, but mispronounced it sounds like the ugliest name in the world.

I blame Dewi Morris of Sky Sports rugby for the mispronunciation, as he goes by 'Dowie' for some reason.

I also love love love Euros but as DH and I couldn't agree on how to say it (maybe a north/south divide or perhaps I have a better ear for Welsh) so we vetoed for DS. I also love Llew. And Llyr. Maybe next time...

On an semi-related note, anyone know how to put a to bach on a letter on here?

OP- Eirlys is really lovely.

I'd forgotten about Dewi/Dowie Morris - yes, that's not going to help, is it -

Constance, luckily I wasn't too much of a Cameo club goer, before getting pregnant, but my DP lived at the top of the Kings Road when I met him (renting, I hasten to add, we live somewhere much scuzzier now), and it was often the place he staggered to as the last stop on a long night....

None of that now he is a sober exhausted dad.

to bach - ô yes, I can do them (if this comes out okay) - do you use the To Bach programme? Free to download - dyma'r link - www.draig.co.uk/draig/English/multilingual/tobach/Pages/default.aspx

Thank you! It's lovely, but I can see why she's not keen on the mispronounced version!

Diolch yn fawr

Will give it a go now.

If you like Bethan what about Seren (star) pronounced as it is written bit a bit more unusual.

Odd, we're in S wales and I know a few Dowie's- up to their 80's, must be regional I guess