Gentian

[coffi123]

I think I can guess your replies for this one but… Gentian for a boy, the ‘G’ is pronounced as in ‘golf’. We like the name because it has significance in our family, it’s a foreign name that origins in the country my partner is from. I think it won’t work in an English speaking country because people don’t know how to pronounce it, and I’m worried that he’s be called/autocorrected ‘genital’.
Am I right? Or any chance this name would work in the UK?

(I swear this is a genuine question. Gentian is being used as a name in other countries. It’s an old Illyrian name).

I’ve never heard it before, but I quite like it. I’ll admit, I would have pronounced the G as in “Germany”, but once corrected I’d have no trouble with the name.

I think of it as in gentian violet but the g sound is more like in gen, so gen-shun. I wouldn't think of it as a boys name at all.

I would have assumed you meant the plant and would pronounce it Jen-shun

I really like it but I think you will have to constantly correct the pronunciation. Before reading your explanation I assumed it was pronounced as in gentleman gent.

I thought Jen-tian

I think you’re right, I’m afraid

Me too

Absolutely. Jen-shun, as in gentian violet. But most young people will probably not have heard of gentian violet.

How do you pronounce the name, OP? Is it gen-ti-an? Or gen-shun?

Could you use the name as a middle name instead?

I only know the word Gentian as part of gentian violet and in this country it is pronounced as someone else said with the G from Germany rather than the G from golf. So it's not only rather unusual but you are going to be constantly correcting the pronunciation of the minority of people who even know how the word in English.

Forgot to mention, the second half of the name would be pronounced -tee-ahn. So (golf)Gehn-tee-ahn. Tricky indeed

According to DH who knows about such things it’s the name of a colour(bright blue) in the Porsche range. I’ll let you decide if this a good thing or not.

It makes me think of one of the dormitories in the Chalet School books!

I would have said Jen shun

Agree with pp that I think you'll be constantly having to correct people pronouncing it with a soft G in the UK. I would have pronounced it Jen-tee-an (because that's how I would pronounce Gentian violet)

The fact that Gentian violet is a treatment for thrush/ringworm/athlete's foot doesn't make me like it much as a name I'm afraid.

I think you could use it, but he'd probably have to correct the pronunciation a lot. But at the same time, I don't think it has significantly more problems than other non-English names, if you see my point? The spelling is fairly simple. He would just have to teach people how to pronounce it.

I've only known a female Gentian so it doesn't sound masculine at all to me. It's nice though.

I work with a female Gentian (pronounced Jen-she-an)

Well every day is a school day - I have obviously only ever seen gentian violet written down, as I didn't know it was pronounced jen-shun and have always pronounced it jen -tee -an - in my head, I don't know as I have ever had cause to say it...

By looking at it I'd pronounce it Jen-ts (like in pizza)ee- ahn .

You do/did chemistry too then 😁

I wouldn’t. 100% of people are going to pronounce it wrong - I can’t think of any English word where a hard g comes before an e. I’d look for something else.

@SatinHeart well I didn't know that!

I posted this and then immediately remembered the word get 🤣 but I stand by the principle that it doesn’t fit general English pronunciation patterns and everyone will get it wrong

I would say Gen-tee-an with a hard G

It's really not difficult for English speakers once explained to them

It's the name of a flower, most boys/ men wouldn't want a flower as their name.