Everyone will pronounce it wrong 'Ophelia'

[pinksodabubbles]

Hi all,

So I'm due in 2 weeks and want to name my daughter Ophelia. I'm from England and speak fluent Spanish, having studied it and lived there for a year.

The Spanish pronounciation is Oh-fell-ee-ah, which is what I want but I don't like the Spanish spelling (Ofelia, like in El Labarinto del fauno). Everywhere else seems to pronounce it Oh-feel-ya which I don't want.

Is there a way to get everyone to pronounce her name the way I like it (Spanish style) without changing to the Spanish spelling? (I have synaesthesia and mild autism if that helps explain why I'm picky on the spelling and the colours of the spelling put me off).

Would 'Ophélia' be better? With the accent on the e to show emphasis?

I really like the Spanish version, but please don't spell it the English way and expect it to be pronounced differently. I have that name. Parents chose an unusual name and got the pronunciation wrong (or missed out a letter). I have
Spent my life correcting people. I now rarely go by my name, just my initials.

Phi-phi

Really?

I used to know a Fiona who was generally called Fifi, which is pretty much the same, and was OK.

Phi-Phi should go to Phuket for her holidays........

I would pronounce Ophelia like Of-elia to rhyme with Delia.

Oh-feel-ee-ah

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom No, like I say, I forgot they gave it an English title too. I watched it in Spain and just always think of it in Spanish that's all.

Thanks for all the opinions on it everyone. Need to have a chat with hubby I think 🤣

Fifi is fine. Phi-phi is vomitous.

I've only ever known it as the Spanish pronunciation....

Very odd it's pronounced differently I would have thought the spelling would suggest it's eh-ah and not "ya".

I think it’s a gorgeous name, I do associate it with Hamlet, but more so Pan’s Labyrinth (awesome film). But I’m biased as that and Aurelia were on my list 🙊 Unfortunately, I think the only way you’re going to get people to pronounce it the way you want is to spell it phonetically, so Ofellia/Ophellia, and even then it’s likely people would assume it was a typo and pronounce it Oh-fee-lee-ah.

All I can hear is the Lumineers song "oh-oh-feel-ia"! That and the poster my roommate at uni had of her under the water...either way it's not good.

I don't actually pronounce it oh-feel-ya like you said above, I pronouncd it slightly differently: oh-feel-ee-ah. To me it has 4 syllables, but I would pronounce the second syllable as "feel" not "fell".

Lovely name but terrible idea if you wanted it pronounced differently. I have Spanish family and love the name Belen (can't do accents on letters on phone sorry) I just knew it was going to be pronounced like Helen which undoubtedly would have been turned into bellend by high school. As it was turned out I had boys..

Sorry if this is an annoying question but i'm fascinated. My daughter is Alexandra shortened to Lex, what does her name look like with synesthesia?

You'll find with many names that people dont pronounce it the way you would, if ultimately its the name you like then just accept that you'll need to correct people, also that your DD may choose to change the pronunciation to one you don't like at some point.

In German it's also pronounced Oph-eh-Lee-ah so the second syllable is more of an eh sound rather than ee.

I have never heard it pronounced oh feel ya.

People who don’t know you would pronounce it wrong but anyone who knew you friends family etc would just learn how you want it pronounced - so it’s up to you whether it would bother you. Yes it’ll get pronounced incorrectly anytime someone reads it out - the first time a teacher does a register etc. I have an unusual spelling that I spent my childhood correcting & ive never known any different so it didn’t really bother me. If you’d find it frustrating or upsetting then definitely don’t choose it.