would you put an accent on a name to make it easier to pronounce?

[cheapandchic]

the name I am thinking about using is not pronounced the way it is written.( its not an english name)

I am thinking about putting an ` over the e which may help. but that is not the way it is supposed to be...should I change it just so its easier for english speakers or just keep the name and accept that the child will always be correcting people.

Depends what it is. Probably not, if it isn't supposed to be there.

No, I wouldn't. People will just ignore the accent (both in writing and speaking) or won't know what it denotes anyway.

Is the name Dev ? ( blatantly curious!)

Anyone who doesn't know how to pronounce the name is unlikely to take any notice of accents anyway tbh.

the accent will get dropped in writing and will eventually get lost. They just aren't used enough

some people won't even know how to pronounce it with the accent and others will think you're being poncey!

What's the name? Why don't you ask here how people would pronounce it?

I know a few people with unusually pronounced names - once told I always try to pronounce it correctly.

I think people have quite unusual names these days so it wouldn't be odd - an accent would be odder!

I have an accent and have spent the whole of my life correcting people and telling them how to say my name and spell it, it's such a faff.

It does start a conversation though.

I have an accent and have spent the whole of my life correcting people and telling them how to say my name and spell it, it's such a faff.

It does start a conversation though.

I'm an idiot and don't understand accents over letters so personally, it wouldn't help me one bit. Sorry!

Is it Esme?! Or Renee?

I'm guessing you want people to pronounce the e with an 'ay' sound? If this is what you're talking about, then yes, I do think the accent would help. Although the accent would go in the other direction!

Of course I'm more than likely barking up the wrong tree...

Wrong accent, Sodoff!

I would agree that putting an accent on won't make a blind bit of difference - if it's a foreign name, you're always going to get some people who can't pronounce it (sometimes happens with fairly straightforward and quite common names in the UK as well) - an accent will not help.

If you speak/read French then an accent (`) would probably help with the pronuciation. Otherwise, perhaps not.

My father is french and I have two accents over my name and spend my whole life explaining them and the pronunciation to people. I tend to just leave them off now and let people say the name the way the read it - makes life much easier. My friends all know how to pronounce it correctly and I just don't worry if others say it wrong - life is to short to stress. As Anste says it it is a great conversation starter though.

yes. it is similar to renee... yes it has an e but its said 'ay'

I don't want it to seem fussy. I just thought it might help... but maybe it won't. oh well my daughter will just correct people and hopefully not be too bothered by it. At the very least she can tell people that it comes from her father's family and their culture and hopefully she will be proud of it.

Given that most Brits are crap at foreign languages I don't think it will make any difference.

cheapandchic - If the name is similar to Renee, then you need an acute accent (é). The accent in your original post looks like a grave accent (è) which wouldn't be any help at all. Most English speakers will be baffled anyway, and anyone who speaks French will be even more baffled if the accent is slanting the wrong way. If there's no accent in the original name, I don't think there's any point adding one.

Some names need an accent; others don't. You could be a Chloe or a Chloé or a Chloë. But you probably need to be an Anaïs, Noémie, Salomé or a Noé!

I'm a Renée and I spell it that way if the option is available. Everyone I've met knows how to pronounce it but Indian call centre staff always say it Reeni though! I have had some numpteys spell it Renay and Renne at times but for the most part most people spell it Renee but pronounce it correctly.

I have an accent over a vowel in my (Irish) name and it doesn't help people pronounce it at all. Some names are just meant to be heard and not seen.

That's what I was about to say LongWayRound, I was pondering on what name could possibly be helped by adding a grave accent, (especially one that technically shouldn't be there) as your average British person would be none the wiser as to how to pronounce a grave accent over an e anyway!

OP whtaever you do, just make sure you get the right accent or you'll look a bit of a twit! Although I agree with everyone else, if it isn't there then don't add it. It probably won't help anyway.

The thing with Renée is that if you leave off the accent, it can be confused with Renee (prn Reeny) which is a nn for Irene.

PercyFilth - that would be why I've had some elderly people in particular ask me if my name is short for Irene! I never understood that but now I do so thank you!

You're welcome! It's more understandable if you've ever come across Irene pronounced Eye-ree-nee rather than Eye-reen. There was an actress called Irene Handl whose name was prn Eye-ree-nee, but that was an old-fashioned style. Perhaps Irene-with-3-syllables will come back into fashion soon.

I think Irene pronounce Iren ee is a fabulous name! I hope it does have a revival. In contrast, plain old Irene still sounds ploddy and middle-aged.

Renee is a beautiful name. I wish I had something so exotic sounding.

I meant Renee like the French way, but I can't make my keyboard do the accented e.

AltGr + e