How would you pronounce this?

[HardCheese]

'Rian' is an Irish boy's name we were considering for our baby-to-be, pronounced 'REE-an'. However, it occurred to me that many or most people in the UK would assume it was a makey-uppy 'alternative' spelling of Ryan and pronounce it that way, which I would hate. (Not wild about various half-assed Irish-American 'Irish' baby name sites that say stuff like 'Brogan is a very common name in Ireland'. Well, yes, but as a surname - it would be the equivalent of a UK baby having 'Smith' as a first name...)

So, would you assume 'Rian' was pronouonced 'Ryan'? Put me out of my misery, so we can cross it off and move on. Thanks.

I read it as Ryan.

I do like it as Ree-an though. I don't think it would take long for people to get used to it.

I know a Rian with Irish parents and they pronounce it Ryan. I wonder whether they were going for Ree-an and just got fed up correcting people all the time?! I would assume Ree-an was a girls name as well.

Ah, Rian is a lovely name, has a lovely sound to it. Why be so worried about what people think? You KNOW it is not a makey-upy name...
I lived abroad with 2 DDs with very gaelic names, and liked that those names were not so common.

It's funny but I've never heard of Rian for a boy (am Irish) but have a first cousin once removed called Rian (with a fada over the i) who's a girl - her mother (my first cousin) always said it was the Irish for Regina...

But I agree that if you like it just go for it. It's so easy to correct how to pronounce or spell a name...I have a common name (Catherine) and spend my time spelling it as so many versions of it. It's really not a hassle at all!

I would assume it is an alternative spelling of Rhian , the girl's name.

I would think Ryan - to me (English) it sounds like Brian without the B.

You could give him an Irish name and if you go to Ireland start using the English version. The comedian Sean Hughes is really John Hughes.

Does it matter what other people think? Yo and your son will know it is an Irish name

I know two!! both re-ann, both boys, surely when people are first introduced they will remember his name?

I thought Rian to rhyme with Ian. I think it's a lovely unusual name but not too wacky! Do it!