Wondering if I should change my name.

[ehf10]

Hi everyone, I'm considering changing my name and thought this would be a good place to get feedback. My name is Elise and I would say that 1 in 3 pronounce it incorrectly. I wouldn't mind but even after correcting people they often insist on calling me the name that they think I should be called (Eleece). I appreciate that in different parts of the world the pronounciation is different, so although I think there's a wrong way there probably isn't.
My mother's side of the family is French and I live in the UK. If I change my name to Elize I think the pronounciation is more obvious but might it look a bit off? Or should I change my name completely? Unfortunately I don't like the S sound. Open to any suggestions though 😊

I’d pronounce it Eleece like you say but if you corrected me then I’d call you what you asked me to. Can’t you just tell people the correct pronunciation?

Firstly, I think that Elise is a beautiful name however it's pronounced.

I have to admit I'd default to the Eleece pronunciation as that's all I've come across, from people in different English speaking countries.

You should perhaps experiment with the Elize spelling to see if it makes a difference, but don't be surprised if Brits rhyme it with 'surprise' as they'll read it as Eliza with an 'e' instead of an 'a'.

I understand though, my name gets spelled or pronounced wrongly sometimes and it annoys me too.

How will changing the spelling of your name make any difference? How many people do you spell your name out to?

Just correct them and if they persist then just mis-pronounce their name until they learn.

I usually correct the same person twice and then feel like I can't a third time. Perhaps I'm overthinking!

NetballHoop I hadn't thought of that, few people will be reading my name so maybe it won't make a difference

DramaAlpaca thank you :)
I think I'll give it a go and if it doesn't catch on or people start rhyming it with surprise I'll change it back. Yes, can be annoying sometimes.... sorry you've had the same thing!

How old are you?

Elize looks wrong. It doesn't look like a name

You can't teach someone to say your name properly.

I once worked with an Annalise, she got called all sorts of names like Anna-Louise, Anna Lisa and things..

MikeUniformMike I agree that it doesn't look right. Having said that there are people with the name Elize, like Elize du Toit. I wonder if she changed the spelling for the same reason or if she was born with that name.
Yes, I've found that to be the case unfortunately.

I’m afraid I would have pronounced with s too but certainly not after know how you pronounce it, that’s just rude.

Elize I would probably pronounce El-eyes just because it’s Eliza without the “a”.

If it helps OP I would have pronounced Elise correctly and I think it's a beautiful name.

Whydoesit yes definitely, can see why people might pronounce Elize that way.

If I found out that I was pronouncing someone's name wrong, I'd make every effort to say their name correctly from then on.

The only silver lining might be that the difference between El-eyes and Eleeze is less subtle than that of Eleece and Eleeze, so perhaps I'd only have to correct pronounciation once..

DemelzaRobins thank you so much, has made me feel better 😊

Can you introduce yourself ‘Elise - like Für Elise!’ and people would remember?

I’d a friend who always introduced herself (call centre so lots of staff) ‘Gail - Luke the wind’ so customers would remember her.

^ like not Luke

I imagine your family, friends and close colleagues pronounce it correctly so it seems a little drastic to change it for the odd new person you meet who says it wrong.

Elise (English pronunciation) is such a beautiful name - it could be much worse! You should hear what my friends and I get called (we live abroad)! I think most of us have stopped caring and we don't even pay attention to the butchered attempts anymore.

I'd just live with it OP. The Eleece pronunciation, although incorrect is still quite pretty. It probably isn't to you though.

TheTittefers good idea provided they pronounce Beethoven's piece correctly! I've come across people saying Fur Eleece x

CatSmize and MikeUniformMike I think you're both right, also I don't want to upset my parents. Elise it is 😊

Changing to Elize for a day didn't change anything either!

My daughter's name is Elise and it gets mispronounced all the time too. I am half French but we live the UK and I wanted a name that both my French and British family could pronounce. At the time I assumed that the French pronunciation would be the norm but I'm discovering it's not! I sometimes think that some people can't distinguish the difference between the two and they're not intentionally doing it. But I also have a French name that more often than not gets mispronounced even when I correct people several times so I've come to the conclusion that people are just lazy and pronounce names how they read it the first time!

Sosomego I think the same. My family were also quite surprised to hear what other people have been calling me. Sorry you've had the same name struggles! My brother and mother now go by the first letter of their name which I think is a shame.

How should Elise be pronounced?

Oh man, you should hear how the French mangle my kids British names. I feel for you. My son's name sounds really really awful said with a French accent. But it's weird how after the first 20 times I gave up thinking about it.
Heck, why not change your name. It looks nice spelt with a z.

El-eeze

@BlameCanada I usually love the French pronounciation of names but I know what you mean - can be frustrating when the entire sound of the name gets changed. I have it the other way around...the French say my name beautifully. Maybe I just need to move! 😄