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Pedants' corner

How is the name St Cyr said in English?

8 replies

Aparecium · 28/07/2026 19:23

As names, St John is said Sinjn, and St Clair is said Sinclair, so is St Cyr said Sinsir?

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GisGasGus · 28/07/2026 19:25

I've never heard of that before, have you tried a pronunciation website?

What's the context?

KnickerlessParsons · 28/07/2026 19:27

Never heard of St Cyr as a surname. But presume you have.

KnickerlessParsons · 28/07/2026 19:28

From Chat chippy tea:

As an English surname, St Cyr is most commonly pronounced “sin SEER” (rhyming with appear).
This pronunciation comes from the French name Saint-Cyr, where Saint is reduced in English speech to something like “sin”, and Cyr is pronounced “seer”.
You may occasionally also hear:

  • “Saint SEER” – a more literal English reading.
  • “SAN SEER” – closer to the French pronunciation, though this is less common among English families unless they retain the French pronunciation.
maudelovesharold · 28/07/2026 19:31

What a lovely sounding surname - Mr. and Mrs. Sincere!

Snapespeare · 28/07/2026 19:32

However Tim Curry says it on Rocky Horror.

God bless Lily sain seer.

Arlanymor · 28/07/2026 19:37

I googled it as I'd never heard of it - first thing that popped up was a military academy in France, the second was a newspaper article in the Stroud News and Journal from one day ago about someone doing a wee wee in a church porch. Which, had it happened in France, would have been a oui oui I guess...

Angelil · 28/07/2026 19:40

SanSEER in French. Never heard of it being used in English.

Aparecium · 28/07/2026 20:30

Character in a novel, Drunkard's Walk, by Frederick Pohl.

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