Pronunciation of Ruthven

[GoAwayCat]

Does anyone have a definitive answer on how to pronounce Ruthven, or if you know a Ruthven how do they pronounce it?

It's a name I've always liked for a boy and have heard it pronounced Ruh-thven and Roo-ven. Mentioned it to DH and he thought it was Ruth-ven (like the girls' name Ruth) The internet seems to indicate it is 'Rivven'

So that's us up to 4 possible pronunciations Wondering if the hive mind of MN had a view?

If anyone has a suggestion of anything similar I'd be interested. It's not a popular view on MN but I really like the Scottish surnamey, place-namey kind of style. Our first DS has a similar style of name - along the lines of Nairn.

Don't be so defensive OP.... it's a very odd thing to claim to like a name you can't pronounce

Definitely Riven in Scotland

Where? Is Ruh/thven just a Weegie pronunciation?

Ok I'll say it again.

I CAN pronounce it, and would pronounce it Ruh-thven. This is what everyone I knew in Glasgow called Ruthven Lane, and is also how it was pronounced by the person I knew who had it as a name. I thought it was a lovely name.

However, I have heard it pronounced in other ways and just idly wondered how other Scots/MNers would pronounce it. As shown by this thread quite a few would say Rivven.

It's a common surname here Ruhth ven not Rooth ven

@334bu

*Definitely Riven in Scotland*

Where? Is Ruh/thven just a Weegie pronunciation?

This. I'm in Scotland and know lots of people with it as a surname. All pronounce it Ruhth ven

And I'm east Scotland not Glasgow

I can't hear it without adding Street, Lane or Barracks!

Go for it if you like it but there are plenty of other lovely Scottish surnames you could use without any worries about pronunciation.

I think most people would pronounce it Ruth-ven.

After you in Scotland now OP? I would say 'Roothven' just because I've never heard of it and then adjust. However, judging by very many people I know, including teachers, they will continue to say it in their own merry way (which they decided when they first saw it). So, I would definitely avoid tricky pronunciations.

A friend of mine has this surname and always pronounced it Ruh-thven. Never heard it pronounced any of the other ways! I’m in Scotland

Yes, we live in Scotland but no longer in Glasgow. Now on the East coast.

The original place name is pronounced Riven, from the Gaelic (Ruadhainn) Actually, there are several places in the centre/east of Scotland with this name and pronunciation.
‘Ruadhainn’ was at some point transliterated into English as Ruthven.
The place name became also a title, i.e. Lord Ruthven. (Still Riven.)
Streets and buildings in Glasgow were named after the person
People began to pronounce the name as written on street signs, because why wouldn’t they?

There you have it. Glasgow says Ruth-ven, people (like me) in other parts of Scotland say Riven.

Thank you pogostemon! That is what I was after.

Ruh-th-vin - well it was when I was at school (a classmates surname)

I'd say Ruhth-ven too.

There you have it. Glasgow says Ruth-ven, people (like me) in other parts of Scotland say Riven.

Except people on the borders (east and west) and Edinburgh say Ruhthven too so it's definitely not just a Glasgow thing at all. I know people in both places with the name

The protagonist of G&S’s Ruddigore is called Ruthven, pronounced Riven, in an homage to Polidori’s The Vampire.

So does this mean that the English, who’d probably only ever use the name if they were big fans of gothic literature are more likely to use the Scottish language pronunciation than the Scots, who are more familiar with the English transliteration as a place and and have got used to the anglicised pronunciation.

He is will get called Ruth by his classmates.

Hi,

I've never heard it before but it a beautiful name- when first saw it though I pronounced it like your DH - Ruthven! X

Clan Ruthven (Riven) motto is DEID SCHAW meaning Deeds are the Proof.

@Sssloou

He is will get called Ruth by his classmates.

That never happened to my classmate (pretty sure he is gay as well, so prime bullying potential back on the 70s)

As an English person I have never seen the name before so would pronounce it “Ruth-ven”. I also would instinctively think of it as a female name rather than a male name.

What I would say is that you need a certain personality to be able to shrug off people mis-spelling / mis-pronouncing your name / your child’s name.

I do not have that type of personality. When people mis-spell my name / my kids’ names (all three of us have names that have more than one spelling although ours are -purposely - by far the most common) it makes my teeth itch!

I'm Scottish and would pronounce this Raffan

Where? Is Ruh/thven just a Weegie pronunciation?

I'm Edinburgh/Fife and I would pronounce it Rooth-ven. It's most definitely not an East/West thing.

@Mydogsbetterthanyourdog

I'm Scottish and would pronounce this Raffan

Curve ball!