No one can pronounce my baby's name!

[Bewilderbeastie]

Had my baby this year - decided upon a name which is definitely not common but (we thought) really not difficult. It's very short, two syllables, no special characters, nothing odd about how you pronounce it (it's very say what you see).

We both saw it, loved it, didn't consider people would she trouble with it... But they do! I've heard every wrong iteration of it. Even when we say what the correct pronunciation is, people continue to struggle?! We've been witnessing this with growing horror and worried now we've saddled our child with a name that will haunt them for life. Every time I hear someone say it wrong, I cringe inside. I can only imagine what it's going to be like for my LO.

It can be shortened even further, so that's an option. But it's not the name we fell in love with.

Any tips on dealing with this? Both my husband and I have very trad names so never had this ourselves. It gets a bit awkward to keep correcting people... Help!

[quote Bewilderbeastie]@AugieMarch it's a Welsh name and so it's just totally new for most English speakers, so in this case it's not about people picking the pronunciation they are more familiar with. But we really didn't think people would find it as difficult as they have as, when we chose it, it seemed very straightforward and easy - in fact when people mispronounce they tend to add in all sorts of complicated extra letter sounds![/quote]
Had a feeling it would be. :)

Your posting name looks a good one to shorten to stop people getting it wrong, Zoya. Don't know if it's Welsh, but it's two syllables, said-as-see. Would it shorten to Zo or Ya, I wonder? Scope to get Zo (rhyme with low) and Zoy ( rhyme with toy, muddled). You're not OP name-changed to give us a hint are you? Destroying the peace of mind by not telling?

It could be Sioned which could shorten to Sian. More like Alys, and not shortening so much, but using Alice instead.

@Diverseopinions

Your posting name looks a good one to shorten to stop people getting it wrong, Zoya. Don't know if it's Welsh, but it's two syllables, said-as-see. Would it shorten to Zo or Ya, I wonder? Scope to get Zo (rhyme with low) and Zoy ( rhyme with toy, muddled). You're not OP name-changed to give us a hint are you? Destroying the peace of mind by not telling?

Ha - I nicked it from a TV show but I believe it is the Russian form of Zoë. There are plenty of pp who will leap on your suggestion to let you know that it is CATEGORICALLY NOT WELSH.

Those who are enjoying the game can carry on speculating but OP has made it really clear that divulging the name would compromise her privacy and that of her DD so they shouldn’t expect a resolution. Some MNers are satisfied with nothing less than blood.

Which bit do people get wrong? First or second syllable?

For example- if the name was Cerys you could say ‘Cer like hair’?

Cer doesn't rhyme with hair, Scarydino, it's like the Kerr in Kerry.

@Diverseopinions, there's no Z in welsh.

It could be Sioned which could shorten to Sian. More like Alys, and not shortening so much, but using Alice instead.
That is shortening Janet to Jane, and it wouldn't happen. You'ld shorten it to Sion (pr. Shon - short o)

MikeUniformMike - I guess it depends on how you say hair? It’s all accent really.

But either way- break it into two and help them with the syllable they’re struggling with.

Why on earth have you given your child a Welsh name when you're not even Welsh?! I don't get it. I am Welsh by the way, and I find it quite cringey! Be a bit like me giving my kid an Italian name.

Change it. Your child isn't going to thank you for it later on in life!

I’m Welsh. We gave our daughter an Italian name and a Welsh one. She goes to welsh language school. There are a few others with her Italian name. Know how many issues it causes? None.

@Scarydinosaurs, I don't say hair as Herr.

In small pockets of wales Cerys might sound like Care-iss or Ceri as Carey but that is purely accent. The 'air' sound isn't Welsh.

Care-iss sounds horrible but Kerris sounds nice. Teleri is pretty but not when said as Tel Airy.

@Feminist10101, it depends on the name. I doubt that many would struggle with Bianca but they might with Chiara or Giulia.