Xanthippe

[dinahthecat]

I just saw this name in the Telegraph's birth announcements and was wondering how it's said and where it comes from!

Definitely not one for me but it does sound (I think!) quite spirited and energetic.

Zan-thip-pay

She was the wife of Socrates, reputed to be a naggy scold. In a misogynist moment, Socrates is said to have advised, "By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher."

I would say Zantippee

Zan-tip-ee

It's a lovely name but a bit out there for me.

WTF, why would you give your child a name that is only known as a byword for being a horrible fishwife? It's not even like there's an alternative historical discourse to reclaim like there is for Jezebel or Lilith.

Why would you say it with a 't' not a 'th'? 'Th' is a perfectly normal sound in both English and Greek (as in 'therm', 'Theo' and lots of other words and names).

Definitely 'th'. Lovely name.

Poor Xanthippe - she was probably just trying to get Socrates to pull his weight around the house.

It's with a hard t.

I bet you fifty pence.

Thalia, Thales pronounced with hard t.

But how would you pronounce Xanthe (same origin)?

Thalia, Thales pronounced with hard t.

Not in Greek they're not. No idea how they're pronounced in English, never heard them as English names.

My friend is called Chiade (pro-nounced Ky- a - dee) she is known as Chi. I think that is lovely. Very unusual name of greek origin. Sorry, irrelevant but just thought I'd put that in there!

Oh damn, does that mean I owe you 50p?

They are definitely pronounced with a hard t in English.

I had a look and various sources says it can be pronounced both ways so perhaps we are both right but you tip the balance if you are Greek

So maybe you owe me 50p for the Greek pronunciation and I owe you 50p for the English pronunciation.

I'm not Greek, but have learnt the language.