pronouncing Igraine

[TheReverendRocks]

........I love this name, but it's pronunciation has always had me stumped. I say it as Ee-gray-knee but a friend says it is Eye- gran-ya. Any one know???

thanks

Well on Merlin (it is Prince Arthur's mum's name) it is pronounced (in best BBC English) e-grain (as in 'e' and grain of salt)....

I would think it was Migraine without the M.

I like your phonetics

I love the name. I also think its e-grain. Never seen Merlin but heard it pronounced that way in the past.

Eey-Grawn-ya

That would be my pronunciation.

I think its ee-grayn to be arthurian about it

Your friend might be thinking of Grainne

I'm with e-grain - again to be all Arthurian about it!

My pronunciation is based on Grainne too.

I have a cousin Grainne

sorry, how can you love it if you don't know how to say it/what it sounds like?

ee-GRAYN

I would say 'Ee-Gren', but I daresay everyone else is right about the Merlin pronunciation

Tambajam - feel a bit stupid now, I never though of it being migraine without the M

Why do I like names that I (and probaly others can't pronounce properly). Discounted Ianthe for DD as we thought people would get it wrong (and I coiuldn't imagine shouting "Ianthe ciome in for your tea")

I quite like Iseult or Isolde.

ianthe and (M)igraine wouldn't be the sort to have tea really would they? Caviar etc

nancy75 - I love Arthurian legends and would pronounce it Ee-gray-knee but a friend has put doubt in my mind, same with Ianthe (E -ann - thee)I love it, but as my background is Welsh/English I like to know I'm using the correct (or most common) pronunciation.

Anyway tis all speculation......

Tidey - I'm with you

PuppyMonkey -I must have a predilection for poncy names - my DC definitely have tea though and play in the park

Well, I thought Migraine too. I prefer Iseult or Isolda, and also Ianthe.

Put it with a Y - Ygraine - with emphasis on the second syllable which makes it clear that it's an long E not a short I (and removes the migraine issue).

I/Yseult can also be doubled this way and I/Ysobel.

Another alternative spelling would be Igrayne which I believe is the 'correct' Old English spelling.

It's ee grayne'

as in this pronunciation

thank you ladies

ig-rain

I'd thought it was ig-rain too.
As in 'i' for ink