For a boy - am I mad?

[NessieMcFessie]

Lughaidh William....

Pron. is 'Loo-ee'

DH is Irish and I am Scottish, but we live overseas. The poor boy would forever have to be explaining the spelling.....wouldn't he?

Yes he would.

Yes

You are

And

He would

How on earth you get a 'Loo-ee' from that spelling is beyond me. Poor child. Either spell it so that the majority can pronounce it or call him William.

I suppose he can simply call himself William as soon as he is old enough.

Please don't
Louis or Lewis would be much easier ( for him and you )

You are mad! You know that it's a silly choice. Don't do it, if you like the name call him Louis. Or Lewis! Louis is a beautiful name, good in French, Spanish, English.

Louie William?

I know a Scottish Rhuraigh (sp??!) who has given up on try to get people to understand/learn the spelling of his name, and after 40 years trying just uses Rory if it not official.

Hmmm....ok, all fair.

We do want a gaelic name - not just trying to be difficult!

That must be the Gaelic spelling! The way we would say it is more "Lou-ay" but that's Scottish Gaelic. No more out there than many of my dc friends (they go to a Gaelic-medium school) - though I've never heard this one before, it's a bit like Seonaidh or Ruiraidh or Eilidh - looks odd only because you don't know Gaelic phonetics.

Still, especially if you are abroad, it's a bit out there!

Yes!
Please use a different spelling.

If it's a common spelling where you live then that's fine but if you don't think it will be known where you're most likely to be living then it'll be a hassle for him and you. If it's the sound of the name you like then you have better known/more common spelling alternatives like Louis. If it's a pride thing and you want authentic spelling then maybe make it his middle name...

Gaelic names the boys in my dc have (off the top of my head!)

Seamus
Innes
Ruiraidh
Logan
Lewis/Leodhas
Murragh (Murray)
Tormond (Norman)
Seonnaig (a form of John, also Iain)
Calum
Aonghas (Angus)
Alasdair
Caiseal

Might be more, that's what I can think of!!

If he tells someone his name is "Loo-ee" they've already (across the English speaking world) got a choice of Louie, Louis, and Lewis without adding more into the mix.

Yes, it would be mad
Yes he would forever have to be telling people how to pronounce it, and how to spell it.

Don't do it!

Yes, completely.

You need to give your child a name that works in the country he is going to grow up in imo. I think you need to use a Gaelic name with a more anglicised spelling or use the Gaelic name as the middle name?

Louis William
Louie William
William Lughaidh

Thanks for the feedback!

With our lifestyle more than half the kids in a class have to spell their names - they are from all over the world....so I am not as concerned about that.

I have a Ciar - at least it's shorter for him to spell out :o

Not sure what you're asking about in that case?!

Unfortunately chances are he'll be called Lug Head...

'more than half the kids in a class have to spell their names '

Make your boy one of the lucky ones then! Give him the gift of a name that is easy to spell and pronounce.

Poor little Lughead

It's bloody awful OP!! You can give your child a gaelic name without using a really difficult spelling. The name isn't any less gaelic just because the spelling has been anglicised (sp?).

All my grown up friends with oddly spelled names hate them, and rely on nick names/middle names. Do your son a favour and make life easier for him.

Weegiemum Can I add 'Eoghan' (Owen/Ewen) and 'Tearlach' (Charlie) to your list? I've met a couple of chaps with those names - adults rather than children, however.

OP If you live in a place where names from many different cultures are the norm, then why not? People will soon learn, just like the do with other children's names.

If your son, when he's older, wants to use the English spelling sometimes, then he can do that, also. My grandfather's surname was spelled the Gaelic way on his birth certificate, but later in life he used an English version for all kinds of documents. When he died, both spellings were put on his death certificate, - there was no problem whatsoever.

Your son may not always stay in the place where people have to spell their names like they do in the current classroom.

What about in business? Or as an adult dealing with people day in and day out where he has to spell his name for each phone call.

Its a little difficult using another name - its difficult to remember what you have used when and to use your official name on official documents. I once got stuck at an airport having booked tickets in my common name and forgot my passport was in my official name.

Just give the poor lad an easily spelt name or a difficult to spell name that isn't said like an easily spelt name!!!

Oh my goodness - it does spell lug head. He WILL get called that.

You will spend your life tearing your hair out and correcting pronunciation. My dd has a very unusual name which is mispronounced by so many people that I have to correct her siblings when they mispronounce it. . I still love her name though. Just bear it in mind...

Even in Ireland that would get a few raised eyebrows.

It just seems a bit unnecessary when the 'Louis' sound is what you're after. Louis is an internationally known name, Lughaidh really isn't and if I had a lifetime of spelling and explaining my name I'd get pretty cheesed off.

Also, it looks really ungainly.

My favourite Irish boys name is Ferdia, pronounced as it looks and strongly rooted in Irish mythology.