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Original poster

Names you love that don’t work in English

156 replies

MangosteenSoda · 13/04/2021 19:54

A name on another thread made me think about this...

I love Manon in a French speaking environment and I like Belen in Spain, but think neither work well in an English speaking environment.

Are there any names you feel like this about? I’d occasionally come across a name in my expat (and childbearing) days and think YES, then, oh no.

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LesserBother · 13/04/2021 20:51

I really like Søren but couldn't commit a poor child to a lifetime of people not being able to enter their name into computer systems etc.

ILoveStickers · 13/04/2021 20:54

In French, Astrid is often spelled as Astride - it's so nice in French and so unfortunate in English!

Then there's all the Italian boys' names like Andrea and Nicola which become so confusing in England...

Original poster
MangosteenSoda · 13/04/2021 20:58

I used to think that after explaining the pronunciation a couple of times, people would get it, but it’s usually not like that. My mum forever mangles foreign names no matter how much she tries. I lived abroad for ages, so I understood this before my DS was born which put me off being adventurous Grin

OP posts:
LadyIsabellaWrotham · 13/04/2021 21:02

I think lots of those are absolutely fine, apart form Line which is clearly unsustainable in England and Boglarka, which is the one which immediately leapt to my mind when I saw the title.

TatianaBis · 13/04/2021 21:20

I think it depends on the people around you. I don't know anyone who doesn't know how to pronounce Manon or Anais.

You might get some people saying Manonn or Anay in the UK. But then my sister gets many people mispronouncing her English name.

Blyatiful · 13/04/2021 21:27

Daria - sounds like diarrhoea.
Dasha - like one of Santa’s reindeer.

How do you pronounce Saskia in Dutch? Is it a slightly longer “a” sound, so more of a Saaskia?

Palavah · 13/04/2021 21:28

Irene

It used to be pronounced correctly in the UK but seems to have normalised as Eye-reen whichjust doesn't have the same appeal

LalalalalalaLand123 · 13/04/2021 21:30

Stella

Original poster
MangosteenSoda · 13/04/2021 21:32

Arrgh. PP has just ruined Daria for me!

OP posts:
BlackLambAndGreyFalcoln · 13/04/2021 21:33

@Blyatiful

Daria - sounds like diarrhoea. Dasha - like one of Santa’s reindeer.

How do you pronounce Saskia in Dutch? Is it a slightly longer “a” sound, so more of a Saaskia?

Yes "SAAskia" not "SASkia". The first syllable isn't pronounced as "sass" and it doesn't shorten to "sassy"!
BlackLambAndGreyFalcoln · 13/04/2021 21:34

@Palavah

Irene

It used to be pronounced correctly in the UK but seems to have normalised as Eye-reen whichjust doesn't have the same appeal

Completely agree ! Eye-reen is just too close to Eileen!
Original poster
MangosteenSoda · 13/04/2021 21:44

I’m going to add Esperanza, Eugenia, Noemi and Cayetana to the names I like in Spanish that sound ugly to me in an English context.

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HalleLouja · 13/04/2021 21:47

I love the names Eleni and Irini. My dd’s friend is called Eleni and they call her Elaney.

drspouse · 13/04/2021 21:48

I used to know a Sharon (male, Israeli) and a friend who was a Susannah was surprised to find Susan is a male name in Pakistan. And Nicolas (French, male) and Nicola (Italian, male) are pronounced the same.

SwedishEdith · 13/04/2021 21:54

I don't love the names but Nicole and Simone are better in French.

SwedishEdith · 13/04/2021 21:55

Just spotted Eric in the baby names. I do actually really like this but, again, sounds much better in French.

Original poster
MangosteenSoda · 13/04/2021 21:56

I also love Eleni. So pretty. I like Efthimia too - another name for this thread.

OP posts:
ZoyaTheDestroyer · 13/04/2021 21:58

Manon is Welsh as well as French. I don’t mind the English pronunciation tbh.

NeedToKnow101 · 13/04/2021 22:03

Jesus! Sounds much better is Spanish.

Headstand · 13/04/2021 22:03

I love Libertad the Spanish version of Liberty but without the accent and in the UK it would just be butchered.

Wearethetwirl · 13/04/2021 22:12

Bollywood actress Tabu who starred in “A Suitable Boy” full name is Tabassum but pronounced Thu-bu-sum.

Sounds lovely when pronounced properly but English phonetics do not accommodate for its pronounciation.

Also the Arabic name Basharat, pronounced more like Bushaaruth, but in English it reads like Bash-a-rat which makes you sound like a pest controller.

elQuintoConyo · 13/04/2021 22:16

Ainhoa - I know her
Laia - liar
Izaskun - no one could pronounce or spell it.
Quirze - ditto.
Belen - still makes me giggle, childishly.

DS goes to school with: Kevin, Adrian, Bernard, Nora, Martina, Ethan, Martin such a mix of 40s, 70s and 80s Grin

.

steppemum · 13/04/2021 22:23

I am sitting next to my Dutch husband and just asked him how he pronounced Saskia

He pronounces it exactly the same as i do and is bemused by the idea that there is another way to say it.

We have a Dutch friend called Saskia, she says it ...... Saskia?!

steppemum · 13/04/2021 22:26

I love the Dutch name Marjoleine (actually not sure now how to spell it)

We didn't use it, as there was no way anyone in UK woudl manage it. They struggled enough with the Dutch name we did use.

steppemum · 13/04/2021 22:26

Adriaan in Dutch lovely
Dorothea