Xanthe/Ianthe/Evanthe

[Frankiefarr]

Thoughts?

Xanthe - Zanthee

Ianthe - Ee-anthee

Evanthe - e-vanthee

I've never heard of the last one.

I prefer Xanthe.

I like Xanthe and Ianthe. Not so keen on Evanthe.

I like Evanthe best.

Don't like Xanthe.

Ianthe is my favourite of those three, but I think all of them are nice though may be difficult if in an area where the dialect has th-fronting so would end up -fee or -vee or similar by many.

I also have a sort spot for Chrysanthi.

I love Xanthe. Not keen on the others.

I think a lot of people would say eye-anthee.

I don't think Evanthe is a name. Evadne is, and has a similar feel?

My favourite is Xanthe.

All a bit Wankthe for me

Reminds of the spoilt kid called Xanthippe in Kimmy Schmidt

Evanthe is definitely a name. It’s a Greek name like the others.

I’m so sorry to say this because I know that name choices are deeply personal, but I am just sharing my thoughts as requested.

Xanthe just makes me think of ugly Xanthelasma (anyone in healthcare with a basic level of knowledge will know what this is and will think of it too) and I don’t think that the other names will make your child’s life any easier either. If you really like ‘x’ names then maybe something like Xavier or Xander would be better?

Evanthe is my favourite, followed by Ianthe. Both nice flower names. All three of them are lovely though. I think Xanthe (which means yellow) sounds a bit stronger and "spikier" somehow, while the other two are softer sounding.

To the pp, Evanthe is definitely a name. All three are Greek.

@SunflowerIris Xavier and Xander are both boy's names, and it sounds like OP is looking for girls names.

Xanthe

Hi yes girls not boys names. I think the medical connotation is probably a bit niche. I tried out Xanthe when I went to a coffee shop (the old Starbucks thing) and oddly got complemented on ‘my name ‘ by the staff and someone in the queue next to me. It’s just that I am mainly torn between Xanthe and Ianthe the latter one I know some people pronounce as Eye-anthe which is wrong but anglicised I suppose. But then people used or pronounce my name wrongly all the time

I have a Xanthe. I love it. Good job really 😆

You haven't got a hope of people pronouncing Ianthe correctly. I think they'll just go with a hard 'I' sound, especially if they know Iolanthe.

I'm already having to cope with a DH getting annoyed about the 'wrong' pronunciation of Omicron, according to him anyway.

@campion

You haven't got a hope of people pronouncing Ianthe correctly. I think they'll just go with a hard 'I' sound, especially if they know Iolanthe.

I'm already having to cope with a DH getting annoyed about the 'wrong' pronunciation of Omicron, according to him anyway.

Haha yes as I understand it the emphasis should not me on the first syllable :)

I thought the final syllable was uh rather than ee I think a lot of people would struggle with the pronunciation. I actually think with the ee at the end they sound quite ugly, especially Ianthe.

I like Xanthe and know a toddler one, but don’t like Evanthe I’m afraid - too close to Evadne which I really don’t like and find very old-fashioned. Are you Greek and looking for a name that works in both countries?

The last one

I like Ianthe, but it’s more usual to pronounce it with an eye than an ee sound at the front here, so that will be annoying.

Xanthe I just find wet

The only Ianthe I know is an Eye Anthee

Do you mean Iolanthe?

Xanthe is the only one I like

@MrsFin

Do you mean Iolanthe?

No think that name was a theatrical invention.

Ianthe is a Greek name quite popular with poets

OP doesn't mean Iolanthe (although it is another nice Greek name). All three names they have listed are legitimate names in their own right.

OP, I think it's quite likely you'll get the eye-anthee pronunciation for Ianthe on occasion, so if that will bother you, it might be worth going with one of the other two. FWIW, I don't think eye-anthee is wrong, I think it's a variation, as it's in line with the English pronunciation of other Greek names borrowed into English like Iolanthe(!), Iris, Irene, and Sophia (originally pronounced suh-fye-uh here). But I do agree that ee-anthee is much nicer. I imagine you would end up having to correct the pronunciation of all the names at some point, though. Even Xanthe will probably get "Xanth" on occasion.

It's odd isn't it, that nobody has a problem pronouncing Ian correctly, but struggle with Ianthe.
I like them all OP so I'm no help, but I went to school with a Xanthe and she was lovely.