Pronounciation..

[chuck]

My OH is Welsh and there are loads of Welsh names that I like but we both dislike the way most Welsh names aren't pronounced properly.

Well we've been really stuck on boys names but we're on team blue!

We had a shortlist of 2 not Welsh names..

Stanley
Nate

(I preferred Nate, he preferred Stanley)

Well I heard the name Dewi and mentioned I thought it was a good names and he said he preferred it to Nate.

Now the problem I have is that most people would say it wrong.

It looks like you would say 'Dewey' like the kid in Malcom in the Middle.

Its actually pronounced Dowee (Dow [as in 'taking a bow' but with a D] ee).

What do you think of the name itself and do you think the pronounciation thing really matters because you/the kid tell people how its said anyway?

 

[RubyRainbows]

People always pronounce my name wrong (Tamara) even after i tell them how to say it... it drives me nuts! My whole life i can remember my mom correcting people when they would say my name wrong, and as a kid i was embarassed. As i read your email, i pronounced it dew-ee. Of the three names, i like Nate best!

 

[chuck]

I love Nate...the Oh isnt keen as we know someone form another forum witha boy called Nate...and is it isnt common he'd feel like we were copying it or something.

Silly thing is I didnt even think of them when I said I liked it we were talking about a bloody band!

 

[JessiHD]

It means David, right? I think its nice.

 

[chuck]

As far as I know, it is another form of David...mind you I also like Dai (another David) but OH says no.

 

[Mocha]

Well my name is Carys (also Welsh) and I've only ever had ONE person pronounce it correctly the first time. With "Dewi," it's even less likely that it'll be pronounced correctly at first. I love my name and yes, having to constantly correct people does get annoying/tiring sometimes but I still wouldn't change my name. The only thing is "Dewi" obviously sounds exactly like "doughie" and I don't see that going well with the kiddos at school. :\

 

[RubyRainbows]

Nate is common hear in the US... no one here would think the name was being copied... but maybe it's less common where you live. How about Nathan or Nathaniel?

 

[JessiHD]

I like Nathaniel.

 

[suri mum]

I prefer Dafydd to Dewi - both mean David, and Dewi is the name used for St. David, the patron saint of Wales. Dewi is nice, too, but I have one of those childhood connections that clouds my judgement on that name!

I know what you mean about the Welsh names, though. I'm from Wales but hubby is American and we don't live in Wales. Even names that should be simple aren't - like Rhys, which hubby's family though should be pronounced "rice". We gave up on that as a choice. Even Dylan is out the running because to me you should say it "duh-lann" and not "dillon". The closest we got to using Welsh names were both middle names - Bryn and Ivor although the true Welsh would be Ifor).

Nate and Stanley are really cute. They're quite different from one another, so you could hold onto both and see what he looks like. You could also use a Welsh middle name, because no one really says them out loud between the christening and the wedding.

 

[chuck]

I prefer Dafydd to Dewi - both mean David, and Dewi is the name used for St. David, the patron saint of Wales. Dewi is nice, too, but I have one of those childhood connections that clouds my judgement on that name!

I know what you mean about the Welsh names, though. I'm from Wales but hubby is American and we don't live in Wales. Even names that should be simple aren't - like Rhys, which hubby's family though should be pronounced "rice". We gave up on that as a choice. Even Dylan is out the running because to me you should say it "duh-lann" and not "dillon". The closest we got to using Welsh names were both middle names - Bryn and Ivor although the true Welsh would be Ifor).

Nate and Stanley are really cute. They're quite different from one another, so you could hold onto both and see what he looks like. You could also use a Welsh middle name, because no one really says them out loud between the christening and the wedding.

HAHA I know what you mean about Dylan, I had the conversation with my other half about that one after I said I like Dylan but said it Dillon!!

 

[DizzyMoo]

My OH is Welsh and there are loads of Welsh names that I like but we both dislike the way most Welsh names aren't pronounced properly.

Well we've been really stuck on boys names but we're on team blue!

We had a shortlist of 2 not Welsh names..

Stanley
Nate

(I preferred Nate, he preferred Stanley)

Well I heard the name Dewi and mentioned I thought it was a good names and he said he preferred it to Nate.

Now the problem I have is that most people would say it wrong.

It looks like you would say 'Dewey' like the kid in Malcom in the Middle.

Its actually pronounced Dowee (Dow [as in 'taking a bow' but with a D] ee).

What do you think of the name itself and do you think the pronounciation thing really matters because you/the kid tell people how its said anyway?

Yes i think pronunciation of a name does matter, I wouldn't want to be constantly telling people how to pronounce my name or my childs, Some names are hard enough without making them even worse by choosing a name which sounds completely different to how it looks if you get me.
I also assumed it was pronounced " dewey " , I just think if its pronounced " dowee " then spell it that way. Why complicate things even more?
Saying that people will prob still pronounce dowee wrong but nowhere near as much as dewey .

Out of the names you have though i much prefer stanley, Its bloody gorgeous!!

 

[Pyrrhic]

I know how it's pronounced, and I think it's a lovely name

I think if you have Welsh heritage, then it's a lovely traditional name and I would keep it on your list.

English people tend to not know how to pronounce Niamh, but I am Scottish, as is OH and in Scotland everyone knows how to say it, and spell it.

I've come across people who have no idea how to pronounce my own name, Nicola. I think that if it's a traditional name that comes from your own heritage then it doesn't matter if some random people can't pronounce it. There are many, many names people can't pronounce that seem simple.

I think the only time you run into problems with pronunciation is when someone has clearly made up a name that just cannot be pronounced as it's spelt, leaving everyone confused.

 

[Floralaura]

Im Welsh, live in Wales and know many people named Dewi, even live near a school with Dewi in the name..every one of there is pronounced DEH-wee. e = short 'e' sound, i = ee sound Emphasis on the first syllable.

There is very little regional variation in this, if any at all..But I've never heard a native Welsh person say anything but DEH-wee.

 

[Froggirl1985]

My OH is Welsh and there are loads of Welsh names that I like but we both dislike the way most Welsh names aren't pronounced properly.

Well we've been really stuck on boys names but we're on team blue!

We had a shortlist of 2 not Welsh names..

Stanley
Nate

(I preferred Nate, he preferred Stanley)

Well I heard the name Dewi and mentioned I thought it was a good names and he said he preferred it to Nate.

Now the problem I have is that most people would say it wrong.

It looks like you would say 'Dewey' like the kid in Malcom in the Middle.

Its actually pronounced Dowee (Dow [as in 'taking a bow' but with a D] ee).

What do you think of the name itself and do you think the pronounciation thing really matters because you/the kid tell people how its said anyway?

I'm welsh too, and I know what u mean! lol. Dewi is a beautiful name, we're usin it as a middle name for our boy (will be harry dewi, how cute is that?)

I love it! I dont think it really matters too much, because you (or when he's old enuf, himself) introduce them the way you wanted in pronounced anyway...

Stick to ur guns girl!

dewi rocks!

 

[chuck]

Thanks guys, I think the OH is a bit concerned that my heritage will be pushed to one side if he ends up as Dewi as the middle name has been picked for a long time and thats his Mams maiden name Owen - another typically Welsh name.

But I think I'm going to slip in a second middle name to balance it out!