Irene - pronunciation?

[smartypants1000]

We love the name Irene, but want it pronounced eye-ree-nee. Will she spend her life correcting people who say eye-reen?

Would you spell it Irenie to avoid confusion? I think so but dh thinks not as it "looks made up"!

I know an Eye-reen spell Irene.

Have you looked at the Forsyth Saga? There's an Irenie in there but no idea how its spelt.

Have checked online and looks like its spelt Irene. They definitely said Irene-ee in the TV adaptation.

Will she spend her life correcting people who say eye-reen

I think so, yes.

I'm with your husband on spelling it Irenie - it does look made up. Probably because it is :) others have suggested foreign spellings that give the pronunciation you want though.

I know an Ireni, pronounced as you describe - she is of Greek heritage too.

I've only ever heard it pronounced Eye reen sorry.

I'd go for Irini if you're set on the name

It may well be possible to pronounce both ways, but as this thread demonstrates, I think the Eye-reen pronunciation is far more popular in the UK. So yes, I think she/you will spend a lot of time "correcting" people.

And as speaking as someone who had a surname no-one can ever say or spell, it's annoying!

I know one who pronounces it Eye-ree-nee and one Eye-reen.

There are quite a few names with more than one possible pronunciation, and if you choose one of them you (and your DC) are inevitably going to have to be ready to explain which it is. So if that would irk you, then perhaps it's worth considering other names.

Just remembered Irene Handl. She used the three syllable pronounciation.

As several earlier postershave said, Irene (pronounced Eye-reen) is a recent English spelling/pronounciation of a very old name - Eirene (Eye-ree-nee), which means peace (and its goddess). It is most definitely not a different name. In the past in the UK, Irene was usually pronounced Eye-ree-nee. Ancient Greek names became fashionable among English upper classes in the 19th century- possibly due to all that public school education and also because ancient Greek civilisation and virtues were admired in 19th century UK (just look at all those magnificent Greek and Roman style grand buildings in Victorian civic centres).
I think Nadia's suggestion to use the classical spelling is a nice one.

Greek Eirini is pronounced Ee-ree-nee (all ee's sound like the 'i' as in ink).
Much nicer than the English version Eye-reen in my opinion.

In the Damian Lewis version of The Forsyte Saga it's pronouced Eye-reenie (I think that's the 2002 version). I really like this pronunciation.

My grandma was an Irene and it was always pronounced as eye-re-nee.

The Russian version is actually Irina pronounced ear-ee-na (ok not exactly like ear, but like the first syllable of irrelevant).

My cousin is Irene, pronounced Iren-ee and with an accent over the second e. That might be an option for you, OP. It's a lovely name.

I think chances are Irene would be pronounced EYE-reen. Both of them that I know, an older lady and a friend of DD2's, are EYE-reen.

If you want Eye-reen-ee then I agree with Nadia, use the spelling Eirene.

I went to school with an Eye-reenie. Her name was spelled Irene. Her mum was Greek.

My mum's name is Irene, pronounced eye- ree- nee. I think it a lovely name and plan on giving it as a middle name to future DD, but I wouldn't give it as a first name as I think lots of people would pronounce it eye-reen, which is a) ugly sounding IMO and b) not my mum's name.

Eye-reen, sorry but I think is awful, my ex mil is Irene, most nasty awful women you have ever met, even at the grand old age of 70 you still often hear her in tesco/town mouthing off threating to "knock your fucking teeth out" .... Classy

I don't want to burst any bubbles but the first thing I thought for that pronunciation is irony.

It's Greek in origin and definitely pronounced as 3 syllables in its 'purest' form, and I suspect going back eighty or so years you would always have heard it like this.
However, in more recent times its become I- reen which is a shame as its not particularly nice whereas the 3 syllable version is far prettier.
I suspect because the name has departed so much from its original form, your dd would have a lifetime of having to correct people unfortunately.

Thanks all :-) It is definitely a valid pronunciation but I do think she would spend her life correcting people, which would be extra annoying as we have a surname that's always mispronounced. I like the idea of Eirene, thanks.

I was interested in the debate about the name Irene, pronounced [ai'ri:ni] as opposed to ['airi:n]. Any good dictionary will put the first, proper version first - let's say Eye-Ree- knee to make it easier. Any good dictionary will tell you that Irene (properly pronounced) rhymes with Hermione. It is a truly beautiful name. I would choose it for my daughter and teach her to make sure everyone she comes across knows that there were loads of women named Irene (as in Hermione) in the '1920s and '30s - ask your oldest relatives, they remember. Irene properly prounounced was the mythological Greek goddess of Peace and Tranquillity. Unfortunately, since a rather awful 1930's song where someone made sure Irene rhymes with dream (good-night Irene I'll see you in my dream), a few people forgot the lovely meaning of the original name, and how to say it. Time to put them right: "I don't suppose you've heard of JK Rowling? I don't suppose you know the name of one of her characters, Hermione? So my name rhymes with Hermione; if they still reckon you are mistaken or illiterate or something, refer them to any good, contemporary English dictionary.

I would 100% pronounce Irene as I-reene, never heard of any other way to say it. Sorry but she'll spend her life correcting people.

Irene does not rhyme with Hermione!

My great aunt (long dead) was always known as Reenie, so I assume was an Eye-ree-knee.

I always think of eye-ree-nee as the older pronunciation. If you spell it Irene, she will indeed be constantly correcting people. I would go for Irini or Eirene. But not Irenie, because that just looks made up.