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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

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Original poster

Does anyone have a name you keep needing to correct people on?

42 replies

amy0787 · 18/02/2015 11:51

We are pregnant with our second child and bit stuck on boys names especially. Obviously no great rush but fun to start thinking anyway. Dh and I are both from wales but now live in England. Our son has a welsh name beginning with O but used in England and the rest of the world too so no issues with pronunciation.
I was talking to my brother about the name Osian which I really like, he said no one will be able to say it and will get really irritating for the child having to explain all the time? Does anyone have any experience of this and is it annoying? I also quite like Idris and Evan so opinions on any of these names too. Thanks you

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Jackieharris · 18/02/2015 17:58

I'd pronounce it O-sheen. I'm sure that's the way I've heard it before.

It is very similar to Owen.

Alisvolatpropiis · 18/02/2015 18:07

It's one of the easier Welsh names for non-Welsh people.

I know a few, all say it as you would op. I'd assume variances are down to accent. My North Walian relatives sound very different to me when saying exactly the same thing.

As far as I know though, oss-ee-an is the pronunciation of the German name, Ossian.

soundsystem · 18/02/2015 18:29

All lovely names. I think most English people would struggle with Osian to begin with. I'm always surprised by how much trouble people have with relatively straightforward names: my daughter is an Arianwen and she gets a variety of strange pronunciations (she's not yet old enough to tell me if it's annoying). On the other hand, I have an easy to pronounce name and people have been known to get it wrong as well, so...

sianihedgehog · 18/02/2015 18:58

Another Sian here!

Yes I have to correct people all the time, no I don't mind it at all. It was rather more of an unusual name where I grew up - no one had ever even heard of the name. I used to get a bit peeved about people not saying it right, and not having all the stuff with my name on that other kids got when I was little, but I like having a less standard name now!

I have the option of a very "standard" english middle name, so I could always use that if I actually minded - I think that's a good idea if you are using a difficult name.

I like all of your name choices, but I think I like Osian best, too.

HJGranger · 18/02/2015 19:00

My children have irish names and it really bugs me that a lot of people can't say them. They aren't even difficult ones. Apart from one of the middle names that I have to google the spelling of before I can write it down.

Hakluyt · 18/02/2015 19:24

"My children have irish names and it really bugs me that a lot of people can't say them."

Why does it bug you? What did you expect?

Luciferbox · 18/02/2015 19:28

My DS has a very common Welsh name and we live in Wales yet people still get it wrong. We can shorten it so often introduce him using the shortened version. I think you'll be fine with Osian.

HJGranger · 19/02/2015 08:09

I expected people to be able to pronounce and spell it obviously. It's not difficult. People automatically change his name. It's similar to Kenzie, people always say 'McKenzie' and I correct them, then 5 minutes later we are back to Mc again.

SirChenjin · 19/02/2015 11:17

So it is a Seamus or a Bairrfhionn type Irish name? 'Cos let's face it - there are some Irish (and Scottish Gaelic) names which are pretty difficult to pronounce.

Hakluyt · 19/02/2015 12:02

Why would you expect non irish people to be able to pronounce and spell Irish names?

Tisiphone · 19/02/2015 12:27

Surely, after you pronounce and spell a name from any culture, you would expect someone to be able to say it correctly? HJG isn't expecting people to be able to pronounce an unfamiliar Irish name before she's said/spelled it, just not to keep mispronouncing it.

SirChenjin · 19/02/2015 12:44

It depends what the name is. You would expect people to be able to say the name correctly if they use it regularly, but if it's new people she's just met they may get the name wrong a couple/few times if it's a very difficult name to pronounce.

LadyLupin · 19/02/2015 13:01

One of them is SirC but I expect the first attempt at pronouncing that to be wrong. He gets see-mus. Or Shameless. One person calls him Shameless all the time.

It's his brothers name that people find very hard to use though, even though it is spelt exactly how it is pronounced and only has 2 syllables. They can't resist sticking Mc on the front.

I don't expect anyone to get anyone's name right on the first attempt but to keep getting it wrong and doing a stupid giggle whilst saying 'it's just so irish' bugs me.

I have also attempted a name change to post this just incase someone searches my normal name as it's identifiable. Probably hasn't worked though.

Alisvolatpropiis · 19/02/2015 13:08

For the same reason non-Spanish people can pronounce Spanish names, Hak. It's not all about English people.

Hakluyt · 19/02/2015 13:14

No of course it isn't all about English people. But English speakers can have a decent stab at Spanish names because the phonetics are similar. They are not similar in Irish.

Christelle2207 · 19/02/2015 13:21

Im welsh and live in England and have a Gethin. This has caused no issue at all with 90% of people both in terms of pronunciation and spelling. At the time it was the only welsh name we could come up with which we felt would not cause serious issues and fortunately we were right. I think Osian is pretty straightforward too but tbh I wouldn't have an Osian if I already had an Owen. We are considering Ioan for DS2 but I do think this would be somewhat braver than Gethin.

SirChenjin · 19/02/2015 13:21

OK - in which case that's just plain ignorant Lupin. Seamus is not particularly unusual or different to pronounce - and the 'that's so Irish' is v childish.

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