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Unpronounceable Names

Unpronounceable names

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#1 Kiyeranne

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Posted 31 December 2013 - 08:28 PM

So, hi
I've had this thought for a long time now, so I wondered
Would any of you name your child something hard to pronounce or spelled strangely? (For example, Niamh = Neev)
Personally I wouldn't, but that's only because going through school with a name like Kiyeranne (pronounced Keer-in) was my hell.
What do you think
-Kiyeranne

#2 Aggiegirl336

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Posted 31 December 2013 - 09:24 PM

Absolutely not. I work in HR and am always frustrated when I a.) cannot figure out how to pronounce it or b.) cannot recall how to spell it without referring back to the file. I don't think it does the person any favors either. According to research, our most favorite word to hear spoken is our name...to have it mispronounced/misspelled and always be required to correct pronunciation/spelling is disheartening for the person. 

 

As a parent, who gives the child the "unique" name, sure it might be "cool" at first, but I can only imagine how old it gets correcting people who say/spell it wrong. Every doctors' appt, school paperwork, meet and greets, etc. And every year, the first day of school is another rehashing of their name for them when teachers go down the student roster. Poor Kids! 



#3 Kiyeranne

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Posted 01 January 2014 - 12:31 PM

As someone who's had to go through life with a name like "Kiyeranne" (why not Kieran.... At least then it would be easy to see how it was pronounced) personally I would never give a child a name with a strange spelling.
For example, I love the name Niamh, but I'd be so worried people would mispronounce it! Same with Aoife (Ee-fa)

#4 Remy Hadley

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Posted 01 January 2014 - 01:58 PM

I would use a unique name, but only if it has legitimate roots. Names like Niahm and Aoife have Irish / celtic roots. They are commonly used in Ireland and in the UK so they wouldn't be "weird" or "unpronounceable" at all around there. I love Niahm and Aoife, I'd use Aoife honestly. I know I could use a more "english" variation like Eva, but Aoife is a lot softer like "ee-fah" and I like that. I also love Saoirse, Siobhan, etc. (which there are actually famous people in the states with names like these too, ie Saoirse Ronan)

 

I think those sorts of names are a wonderful way for someone to honor their heritage. If they are less comfortable with it as a first name it can always be a middle. Often times names like these are not used just to be "cool" or "unique" but to honor either heritage or a loved one / family member / friend. Its sad for someone to judge a parent based of a name choice that could very well have a lot of meaning to them. Not to say you were, but people do and its not right. Some people truly do enjoy having a unique name. Some people resent having a normal name. And vice versa. Its impossible to predict which way it'll go. I grew up with a bunch of people having the same name as me and I always went by "the other [my name]" or always had my surname initial tagged onto my name. It got old VERY fast. 

 

Also, no matter how normal your name is people will still ask the spelling at doctor appointments, school paperwork, and the whole nine yards. So many people receive different spelling variations to "normal" names that its required to ask. Every time I have anything important done for my son, they ask me how to spell Archer. Its a simple spelling but you never know. Even if your child is named Alex they would ask to make sure its not Alix, Aleks, Allyx, etc. 

 

** Edit: I will say I agree on making up your own spellings though. I dislike it when people make up their own spellings to names. Like Jennifer is just that, I'm personally not a fan of changing it to Gennyfur or something. 



#5 tmccloud

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Posted 02 January 2014 - 10:28 PM

My oldest son's name is Kieran and for some reason people like to think it is pronounced like ky-ran. I think that if you give them a unique name then keep it as simple as possible and try to spell it like it sound. 



#6 Kiyeranne

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Posted 04 January 2014 - 03:26 PM

I would use a unique name, but only if it has legitimate roots. Names like Niahm and Aoife have Irish / celtic roots. They are commonly used in Ireland and in the UK so they wouldn't be "weird" or "unpronounceable" at all around there. I love Niahm and Aoife, I'd use Aoife honestly. I know I could use a more "english" variation like Eva, but Aoife is a lot softer like "ee-fah" and I like that. I also love Saoirse, Siobhan, etc. (which there are actually famous people in the states with names like these too, ie Saoirse Ronan)
 
I think those sorts of names are a wonderful way for someone to honor their heritage. If they are less comfortable with it as a first name it can always be a middle. Often times names like these are not used just to be "cool" or "unique" but to honor either heritage or a loved one / family member / friend. Its sad for someone to judge a parent based of a name choice that could very well have a lot of meaning to them. Not to say you were, but people do and its not right. Some people truly do enjoy having a unique name. Some people resent having a normal name. And vice versa. Its impossible to predict which way it'll go. I grew up with a bunch of people having the same name as me and I always went by "the other [my name]" or always had my surname initial tagged onto my name. It got old VERY fast. 
 
Also, no matter how normal your name is people will still ask the spelling at doctor appointments, school paperwork, and the whole nine yards. So many people receive different spelling variations to "normal" names that its required to ask. Every time I have anything important done for my son, they ask me how to spell Archer. Its a simple spelling but you never know. Even if your child is named Alex they would ask to make sure its not Alix, Aleks, Allyx, etc. 
 
** Edit: I will say I agree on making up your own spellings though. I dislike it when people make up their own spellings to names. Like Jennifer is just that, I'm personally not a fan of changing it to Gennyfur or something.

I totally get where you're coming from, and I honestly agree as far as names like Niamh and Aoife etc go. If the name has actual heritage behind it, I would think it's perfectly reasonable to use it.
My only problem is when you have a name like Kieran, and you choose to spell it like Kiyeranne, because then you're deliberately making that name hard. Obviously you're always gonna be asked when it's important, but I've had like doctors appointments like
"Could Ky-ear-Anne come to the desk please?" And I'll like facepalm. It also makes things hard because there was actually a girl at my school named Kyeeran, pronounced Ky-ear-Anne, and I'd always think it was her when teachers read out my name, because they'd mispronounce it that way.

Also, I used to know someone named Haermonie, pronounced Harmony. This would be hell for her because everyone, due to the spelling of it, would pronounce her name Hermione!





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