Baylor?

[WittyUsername102]

We were originally going with Laurel for our DD, but DH discovered this today and really likes it, but I'm a little unsure - what are MN's opinions?
He really likes the meaning of it and it does fit our family - it means horse trainer.

Survivor has contestants from different parts of the US, different backgrounds, different ethnicities and absolutely everyone has pronounced it as Taylor with a B. It really hasn't been an issue.

Don't get me started on Parvati who on Survivor people really struggled with her name which the host pronounced as Poverty. It drove me crazy!

I'm Scottish and Baylor for us is definitely pronounced Baylorrrrr!
To get the name said as Bayla/uh, it would need to be Bayla.
We say as we see.

I agree it sounds like a mashup of Bailey and Taylor, and it sounds like a boys name. I would definitely pick, well, almost anything else for a little girl.

mathanxiety - how do I know if I have a non-rhotic accent or not?
'Bay-luh' is how I type the pronunciation that was in the pronunciation video, which is also the same as the video MokunMokun shared.

If you have a rhotic accent ( e.g. Scottish) you pronounce your "r"s quite clearly - so I would pronounce Baylor with an r ending. If you have a non-rhotic accent, you pronounce the final "r" more like an "a"

With my rhotic accent I'd pronounce the final "lor" of Baylor, the way someone with a non-rhotic accent would pronounce "lord" without the "d"

Thank you! My voice doesn't really fit a specific accent at all, but I suppose whatever it is it is non-rhotic.

Bay-luh is not the pronunciation in the video you posted, or Mokun's video either. In both the videos the pronunciation is like the urr sound in slurry. This is the rhotic pronunciation -- you can clearly hear the R sound.

If you pronounce Baylor 'Bay-luh' then your accent is non rhotic. You do not pronounce the R in Baylor.

mathanxiety - Sorry but I'm not if you read what I said? The way I pronounce Baylor is the exact same as in those videos, and Bay-luh is how I type that pronunciation - as I said a few times before, we may not be typing it the same, which I guess this suggests we aren't.

Witty, I have noticed that a lot of people with non-rhotic accents can't actually hear the difference.
The pronunciation in the video could not be represented by the sounds 'bay-luh'.

Do 'law' and 'lore' sound the same when you say them? If they do, you have a non-rhotic accent.

No they do not sound the same to me.

Bay-luh could not possibly be a typed version of Bay-lurr.

Is it just me, or is Rhotic starting to sound like an excellent alternative to Baylor...?

How do they sound different?

Poor OP!

Laurel is really beautiful. I'm not bothered by the masculinity, origins or other things that share the name Baylor, but I just don't think it sounds very nice I'm afraid. Just Bay is lovely.

Just created this because I think that my asking for middle name suggestions got a bit lost in all the messages, thanks all, suggestions welcome.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/2209345-Baylor-middle-name-suggestions

I just replied to your middle name thread having thought it was a bit of a strange choice for a poor boy who could always ditch it and go with another given name.
For a girl it's preposterous, sorry if that sounds offensive, but it's how the name makes me feel. I haven't RTFT but the name does sound totally made up and ugly

Two threads? It'll be like trying to split the atom! :)

This thread has really made me laugh. This name has brought so much fun to so many already, that part of me thinks you should go for it.

Kenya, Cassadeey, Jessabell, Indiya, Allexxxis, Bryton, Panzy, Ratta

I am so glad you clarified this didn't happen in the UK! Apologies to anyone in the USA - love you all - but that list is pathetic. In all senses of the word.

Baylor just isn't nice to most people it seems, in looks or sound or associations. So while it could be worse, why do it? You and your DH aren't just picking a name you like, you're picking a name that you think will be a good one for your daughter in the world at large. Baylor is playing fast and loose with that responsibility. I admit that even as the thread has gone on I've got a bit used to it, but you could do so much better.

It's the oddest list I have ever seen even for an American preschool. The only name that jumped out of DD4's pk4 class was Ryleena. The rest were Gwneth, Bridget, Gianna, Trinity, Alexa (only one x), Isabella, Lorena, Cecelia pronounced Chechelia (Italian), Maribel (Puerto Rican name), Weronika (Polish), and two girls named Quinn.

DD4 called the two Quinns 'Twin'. Made sense to her as there were two of them.

This name has brought so much fun to so many already, that part of me thinks you should go for it.

temporary it's a decent sentiment. I for one feel a great fondness towards the OP.

But I do feel sorry for the child, because even if she can change it if she wants, like the OP has suggested, changing your name is an enormous psychological event. It removes part of your identity, forces you to accept a new one, causes anguish and joy, but still makes for a huge decision that, in a Jungian scenario, probably detrimentally affects your trust and belief in your parents, and your sense of allegiance to them as guides. Even if just subconsciously (and it won't be 'just'), you have to then negotiate feelings of disappointment and rebellion, desire, and independence and, let's face it, disseminate the myth of your childhood, identity, and past/future purpose. Why foist so much more on someone when we already have so much shit to work through before we die?

I for one feel a great fondness towards the OP.

It's true by the way, witty, what I said: you've been a tremendous sport and a gracious thread host. MNHQ should probably Classic this as an example to others of how to deal with near universal and baying (see what I did there?!) nays! MNHQ?

What about Lorelei?

I don't understand how you can be put off one name because a tiny proportion of people didn't like it, but not put off another name despite unanimous dislike of it!?

If I was writing a children's book Baylor would be a good name for a warlock or nasty goblin.

Has anyone suggested "Hay" as a second name yet?

Surfsup1 - I did explain that a few times throughout the thread (though I totally understand not wanting to read almost 400 replies). Dh loves Baylor and he only ever liked Laurel. I loved Laurel and thought everyone liked it because that's the only replies I got on my thread for that, then on here plenty of people say how much they don't like it and it just pops the bubble I was living in. My DH and my DC liking the name are the most important factors to me (to us), people liking it is just a nice bonus.

moxon -

mathanxiety - That list I posted is a cross of 11th grade and 8th grade.

Baylor is Taylor said with a cold.

Laurel is better. But still not really a name, although plants for girl's names are pretty common (Ivy, Rose, Holly, etc). You and DH might like it but you're giving it to somebody. When you give a gift you try to think whether the recipient will like it as it will be theirs. Will your child like being called a non-name word?