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Original poster

Name spelling dilemma

29 replies

Stefka · 03/09/2007 12:32

For our girls name mu husband and I have chosen a traditional name from his country. It is spelt Jana over there but their J is pronounced Y so you would say Yana.

I am not sure how we should spell it - whether to stick to the traditional spelling and suffer the mispronunciations or to go for Yana and keep everything simple for everyone.

What do you all think?

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Fireflyfairy2 · 03/09/2007 12:33

I would know it was pronounced Yana even from that Jana spelling

I'd keep it the traditional way

Lovely name!

Tinker · 03/09/2007 12:34

Traditional. I hate spellings of names being mucked about.

mamazon · 03/09/2007 12:34

i would also have known and would keep it traditional.

why should you dumb down a beautifull name for the sake of ignorance?

pooka · 03/09/2007 12:35

Traditional spelling.

Original poster

Stefka · 03/09/2007 12:35

I love how quickly people reply to posts here! It's like having your mates round

OP posts:

McDreamy · 03/09/2007 12:36

It is a lovely name but I must confess I probably would have pronounced it Jana, (Yana sounds nicer).

If you go for the traditional way I think you might have to accept that her name will be misprounounced quite alot, it depends how much it will eventually annoy you!

coleyboy · 03/09/2007 12:36

A beautiful name.

I would have known how to pronounce it, keep it the traditional way.

TellusMater · 03/09/2007 12:36

Spell it properly. People will cotton on soon enough. And may will get it right first time anyway.

MamaGrumpy · 03/09/2007 12:36

I would keep it as Jana but be prepared to say "no, its pronounced..." etc

My mate just had a boy called Joel - amazing how many people asy "Joe?"

McDreamy · 03/09/2007 12:37

There you go - I appear to be in the minority so maybe it wouldn't be such an issue after all

Fireflyfairy2 · 03/09/2007 12:37

My little guy is called Noah. Loads of people call him Noel.

kindersurprise · 03/09/2007 12:42

Jana, and correct anyone who spells pronounces it wrongly gently.

My MIL couldn't pronounce my DD name at first and said that she would just call her the German translation Katharina. My BIL told her that she was being very unreasonable and that she could just learn how to say Catriona.

Sarahjct · 03/09/2007 13:29

Keep it Jana - people who matter such as schoolfriends etc will soon learn. Lovely name btw

Hulababy · 03/09/2007 13:40

Keey it as Jana, but just be prepared to explain to people correct pronunciation/spellinng.

My DD has a very ordinary name but it has two spellings. We are always having to tell peiople the correct spelling. No one minds.

canella · 03/09/2007 13:45

my dh is from germany and is called jan pronounced "yan". We've had it spelt wrongly loads of time or said wrongly on the phone! but "yan" isnt the right way to spell it so i say stick with calling her jana - anyone who's important to you will know how its said!

RibenaBerry · 03/09/2007 13:51

Agree with the others. Lovely name, go for the traditional spelling.

Most people will know how to say the name if they see it written down. You might get the problem that I get (with my relatively unusual name) that people who haven't seen it written down spell it phonetically (sp?) but I'm sure you'll manage.

LWandLottie · 03/09/2007 15:05

Traditional way, I'm another one who doesn't really like it when spelling is messed about. If you have chosen the name because it's a traditional name from your dh's country, keep it that way by using the correct spelling.

emj23 · 03/09/2007 15:51

I agree, it looks much prettier spelled Jana and most people would assume it was pronounced with a 'Y' sound anyway

tigerschick · 03/09/2007 15:56

Lovely name - definately keep the traditional spelling, the majority of people will either know, guess or ask how to pronounce it.
Anyone who has an interest in tennis will know the name from Jana Novotna.

Aero · 03/09/2007 16:18

I have known both a Yana and a Jana (both pronounced as spelled), so it's likely that some people will get it wrong as there are people called Jana, said with a 'j' sound.

Having said that, I'd also keep to the traditional spelling as imo it looks nicer on paper. Usually people are introduced by name, so it probably won't be until school starts that most mistakes will by made and teachers etc can always be corrected!

It's a very pretty name.

lljkk · 03/09/2007 20:09

Yana, all the way. Think you're barmy to consider otherwise, will be much easier to use the English pronunciation of the English letter if you expect to live in the UK and normally speak English, and mostly mix with people who primarily speak English.

Original poster

Stefka · 05/09/2007 13:26

Thanks for all the feedback

I am going to have another chat with DH about it and see what he is thinking although he tends to just let me do what I want. Not always a good thing when you are trying to make some kind of decision though!

Of course it might be a boy in which case this won't even be an issue!

OP posts:

coffeepot · 05/09/2007 13:42

Jana - definitely.
A friend of mine called one of her twins
Neve instead of Niamh so that everyone in England would know how to pronounce it. Turns out everyone is better educated than she realised and now everyone spells her daughters name wrong (ie they all spell it Niamh)!

ClaphamLauren · 05/09/2007 14:05

Definitely keep it traditional. My name is pretty common - Lauren - yet people still can't spell it and mispronounce it!

lailasmum · 05/09/2007 14:06

Jana, I reckon most people would realise it was pronunced as a Y.

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