Would you tell someone they’ve misspelt their baby’s name?!

[CaptainCabinets]

A colleague has recently announced the birth of ‘Pheobe’ on Facebook and have since referred to the baby as ‘Pheobe’ several times.

Would I be awful to gently suggest the correct spelling or just hope it’s picked up on when they register the birth?!

Before another consonant or not is the difference you're looking for here.

People?

But more importantly, English is historically influenced by so many languages that there are very rarely definitive rules on pronunciation. So talking about how something looks like it should be pronounced is usually pointless.

There are, however, conventions on how most individual words and names are spelt. And Phoebe, conventionally, is spelt Phoebe.

People?

I believe the discussion is on the pronunciation of "oe", not "eo".

Goes?

The pronunciation depends on the language it derives from and the etymology!

Latin œ, rendered in English as oe is not the same as o followed by e. As in oboe. Which comes from French hautbois.

Yep, goes and does are good examples of exceptions.

If people is pronounced as peeple, then Pheobe can be spelled Pheobe?

English is a horrible language! 😂😂😂 anyway, I think it’s clear there isn’t just one way to spell the name.

If people is pronounced as peeple, then Pheobe can be spelled Pheobe

Well, it's more like "If people is pronounced as peeple, then Pheobe can be pronounced as fee-bee", which is true. But as I said, spellings are usually based on convention, not comparisons to other words. And the conventional spelling of Phoebe is Phoebe.

I'd say something- simply because in this case it's likely to be a mis-spelling rather than someone trying to be unique.

She's going to find out at some point and discovering you've been misspelling your child's name would be awful.

I think I'd just say something like, "can I just check to make sure I've got it right that you're naming your daughter Pheobe rather than the usual Phoebe as I don't want to get it wrong if you've decided on a different spelling?"

She can spell how she likes surely???

So all 29 Pheobes born last year alone have all got 'wrong' spellings?

Sorry lebkuchenlover, do you have a Pheobe? Apologies if so. It's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Yes, the spelling is "wrong" in the sense that it is not how the name is traditionally or commonly spelt. Just like spelling Sarah as Sairah would be "wrong" in English, even though it would be pronounced the same and not a major issue – apart from for the girl/woman having to regularly correct peopleon the spelling.

No I don't have a Phoebe or a Pheobe. I don't really like the name.

I'm just interested in languages and phonetics

It a variant on Phoebe, and Greek, so not English or Latin derivation. Also pet form of another word. She can be ligit spelling, if that's the intention. I have known peeeeple change letters around just to be different!

I would have to say something. Use one of the polite replies suggested by pp.

Jesus, this thread is making my eyes bleed.

It's not difficult to find an example, somewhere in the English language, of a collection of letters making a different sound in one word than another. That's the infuriating mixed-up beauty of the English language. It doesn't stop the name being Phoebe.

or Pheobe 😂

Say "I spotted a typo on your Facebook post..."

“Variant” spellings at least are obviously wrong - Linzi, Kaytee etc. Pheobe is just wrong. Same as non-Irish people choosing Micheal and not pronouncing it Me-hall. I would def say something, tactfully.

Nah! It's not the law, and many acceptable variations. It's whether the parents have knowingly chosen this variation that matters.
Just ask where the different spelling came from.

I once met a Bikayla. Her mum had told her dad to register Michaela but she had a cold at the time. And she remained Bikayla.

I once met a Bikayla. Her mum had told her dad to register Michaela but she had a cold at the time. And she remained Bikayla.

Surely he would have noticed when the registrar showed them the form to check it was spelled right!?

Well that's just not real as father would sign with mother present and be able to read, after being told to check it carefully before signing.
Mother has to register excepting certain conditions