Perdita?

[Orphlids]

I’m looking for a posh, educated person to tell me the correct pronunciation of the name Perdita. Is it PER-dit-ah, as they say in Disney’s 101 Damations, or is it Per-DEET-ah? I prefer the latter, but I admit I have no idea which is correct. How does it tend to be pronounced in performances of Winter’s Tale?

I think it’s ‘ita’ rather than ‘eeta’ but I prefer the latter too because it’s sounds more natural

I'm very educated but not posh and I'd say perDEETa.

I don't like the meaning though, 'lost'.

It’s the former- per-dit-er.
I think perdeeta is the American pronunciation? But you’d probably get both pronunciations and have to clarify which would be irritating.

It. Not eet.

Usually in Shakespeare performances the emphasis is on the "Per".
It's sort of Purr Ditta

I looked it up once and it was the first one, I think it's a lovely name. People will day it both ways as the second way is fairly common.

Well, that told me! Slightly embarrassed English graduate here

If you have a boy, you could call him
Pongo...

Or Florizel

Lovely name and so unusual! Purr ditter here too.

It’s also the title of one of Jilly Cooper’s masterpieces.

Wow, Frith2013, how droll! I’m sure you must be jolly pleased with that little joke.

Meanwhile, thank you for your responses, everyone.

It’s not a joke.

PUR-dit-ah

OP - I hope you do know that name means ‘The Lost one’...

I do get that some people seem to want to go for unique names. But do think about the child and how it is to grow up with the names.
She won’t be meeting adults who would think - how unique.... She’d be up against the kids who can be cruel as is.

I'm very educated but certainly not posh. Pur-ditta.

After the dog in Dalmatians?

Definitely PER - ditta with emphasis on first syllable. The other is a mispronunciation. I’m not sure anyone needs to get hung up on the meaning as most people won’t know that. It is pretty posh though, a bit like Portia but very pretty. I like it.

Not the answer I know, butI my brain automatically translates the word to 'lost' when I see or hear it😬

She won’t be meeting adults who would think - how unique.... She’d be up against the kids who can be cruel as is

I think she’ll meet adults who think ‘how unique’. Perhaps speak for yourself!
Kids have all sorts of unusual names nowadays. People aren’t just called John or Susan...children nowadays can handle other children having more unique names. I say that as someone with a much much much weirder name than Perdita.

My mistake, she’s not the eponymous hero of one of Jilly’s works - those are (confusingly) Pandora and Prudence.

However, she is the protagonist in at least 2 of Jilly’s books and has men sleeping with her from the age of 14 (thank goodness times have changed; JC hasn’t aged well).

There’s no joke about it. I always point out unpleasant connotations to ALL names in threads.

101 Dalmatians was the favourite book of my siblings, growing up.

I would pronounce it Purr-deeta. Purdy is a cute nickname. I think it's lovely but you will get a lot of 101 Dalmatian references so be prepared for that.

Yes - forgot to mention - she’ll be meeting adults who’d think - if her parent - how pretentious and what was she thinking.....
And kids - well - will be kids...:
I am speaking as a current parent with a few kids.... hanging out with adults and kids for the past many years.

OP - you don’t need a name like this for your kid to appear posh or educated. Just read books to her and raise her to be educated.

And there are plenty of unique non-Dog-From-Dalmatians names.
🤷🏻‍♀️

Actually one of my most favourite names. Didn’t use it because I couldn’t get past the meaning ‘lost’. I’ve always pronounced it Per- Dee-tah.

MMmomDD, why you feel the need to give me any sort of parenting advice when it has not been requested, I really do not know. I asked for the pronunciation, nothing more. Your response is so patronising, I feel rather embarrassed for you.

Thank you so much for your helpful replies, everyone else.