@peakdixon I have friends that one spouse speak native French, one English and they same their kids differently - more like, the French one just has a strong accent.
Names pronounced differently by both parents?
- Thread starter peakdixon
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@peakdixon We personally picked a name we both pronounce the same. More likely because they will be going to a school where friends and teachers will pronounce his name the same way as his father. I didn't want to be the only one pronouncing the name differently (my family would also, but they live in my home country and we didn't see them often even pre-covid).
katrina2017
New member
@peakdixon My brother has a name that is spelled the same in both languages but pronounced totally differently and never seemed to complain about it. I on the other hand have a first name in one and middle name in the other so one family called me one and one called me the other - it didn’t bother me at all. I have a very strong attachment to my middle name and when I changed my last name to a very white/European name I added my middle name to most of my life
@katrina2017 Very cool! Did you see both sides of the family frequently, or was one name only used during holidays, for instance? Were both used within your immediate family (mom one, dad other)? What does your brother call you?
Sorry for all the questions haha
Sorry for all the questions haha
katrina2017
New member
@longroad I grew up seeing both sides an equal amount, but my immediately family usually calls me by my first name unless we are around Spanish speaking family. My English speaking aunt also married a Spanish speaking person though, so if I were being introduced to someone in Spanish at their house I would be introduced by my middle name. For a while in middle school I also went exclusively by my middle name because my first name is a top 10 name 
but my middle name has a cute diminutive so sometimes it’s used affectionately the way you might call your adult child a babyish name just because it’s cute.
My husband is in a similar situation as me (only his middle name works in his heritage language) but he did not have as much contact with family who speaks that language. However, when he visited the country though, everyone calls him by his middle name, and without Facebook they probably wouldn’t know his first/English name.
For our kid we gave her a first name that works in both Spanish/English and has almost identical pronunciations and a middle name in his family’s language. We use her first and middle name any time it needs to be written out (ie: birth announcement, monthly photos, etc) and weirdly my parents call her exclusively by her middle name which is NOT either of their languages. My brother’s wife is bilingual and she refers to my daughter by the slightly different Spanish pronunciation while my brother and I usually say the English one.
but my middle name has a cute diminutive so sometimes it’s used affectionately the way you might call your adult child a babyish name just because it’s cute. My husband is in a similar situation as me (only his middle name works in his heritage language) but he did not have as much contact with family who speaks that language. However, when he visited the country though, everyone calls him by his middle name, and without Facebook they probably wouldn’t know his first/English name.
For our kid we gave her a first name that works in both Spanish/English and has almost identical pronunciations and a middle name in his family’s language. We use her first and middle name any time it needs to be written out (ie: birth announcement, monthly photos, etc) and weirdly my parents call her exclusively by her middle name which is NOT either of their languages. My brother’s wife is bilingual and she refers to my daughter by the slightly different Spanish pronunciation while my brother and I usually say the English one.
@katrina2017 Thanks for sharing! How did/does your brother introduce his name to new people? I like your username btw.
katrina2017
New member
@peakdixon That’s an interesting question! I am mostly around him in English speaking settings so I have heard the English pronunciation, but I am sure that when he is in Spanish speaking situations he uses the Spanish pronunciation. I think it would be weird to say it in English because it’s not an uncommon name in the Spanish speaking world so it would immediately be recognized as being said differently if the English pronunciation were used.
His name is not Jaime but it’s a name like that where any one with any exposure to Spanish would know it’s Hi-meh while any one with exposure to English would know it’s Jay-me. Because he’s Latino it would be weird for him to introduce himself in Spanish as Jay-me
His name is not Jaime but it’s a name like that where any one with any exposure to Spanish would know it’s Hi-meh while any one with exposure to English would know it’s Jay-me. Because he’s Latino it would be weird for him to introduce himself in Spanish as Jay-me
gracielaalexandraa
New member
@peakdixon We pronounce the name both ways and kid responds to both. When he says his own name he usually says it the English way.
@peakdixon I thought hard for a name that would be pronounced the same in English and in French. I personally didn’t want the different pronunciation. With that said, we settled with the name Glenn.
leaningoneverlastingarms
New member
@peakdixon Yes. All my kids have names that are pronounced differently depending on which language is used. I say their names differently than their father, and the grandparents also say their names differently than either of us. Three different languages. Frankly, my kids don't seem to notice or care.
@leaningoneverlastingarms How do you guys introduce the names to new people?
leaningoneverlastingarms
New member
@peakdixon I introduce the names the way I say them, and their father introduces the names the way he always pronounces them. People pick the version they prefer and stick with it. It's really not a big deal. Everyone just goes with the flow.
@peakdixon My name sounds slightly different in English and Spanish. And i really didn't want that for my daughter but it's almost impossible but her name is Olivia and it does work quite well in the 3 languages we speak, English, Spanish and German. But we are going to pick our sons name soon and our top pick at the moment will be different in Spanish vs German/English. Spanish is the least language we speak and place we visit. But my husband will say it the English way more than the Spanish way i think even. When speaking in Spanish. But the main nick name we'll use will be the same a cross the languages st least.
marktrovit
New member
@peakdixon We‘re an Italian/German/British family and I was dead set on finding a name that everyone pronounces the same. Turns out that really limits your choices!
In the end we went with a name we both loved and thought everyone would be able to pronounce intuitively, albeit differently. Turns out Germans are fine, Brits pronounce it the French way and Italians have us repeat the name three times
It‘ll be fine.
In the end we went with a name we both loved and thought everyone would be able to pronounce intuitively, albeit differently. Turns out Germans are fine, Brits pronounce it the French way and Italians have us repeat the name three times
It‘ll be fine.searchingforlove
New member
@marktrovit Yes, I had also that disappointing moment. Thought it would go okay, but I underestimated how it is not intuitive.
@marktrovit Thank you for sharing your experience. I have indeed noticed that this wish limits options ...
spldprincess0127
New member
@marktrovit Ha, we're an American-German couple in Italy, so our situation is somewhat similar to yours! In my experience, Italians make you repeat stuff a lot in general, it's the only spelling alphabet I know almost completely...