Message: "Ghislaine" - Behind the Name

[Opinions] Ghislaine

by Catalina (Catalina-lirio)

6/4/2011, 5:42 PM

What do people think of Ghislaine? I quite like it aesthetically, but am not sure how to pronounce it. Help?

Ghislaine Rose is probably my favorite combo, I like the pretty simplicity of Rose with Ghislaine. I'm also considering:

Ghislaine Sophie
Ghislaine Maria
Ghislaine Marie
Ghislaine Isolde
Ghislaine Alice
Ghislaine Iris

#Ghislaine

Replies

- Pie

6/5/2011, 12:40 PM

I have a cousin called Ghislaine who pronounces it geel-EN. I like it too, and I also like it with Rose and Alice, especially with French pronunciations.

- Andromache (Hannah Ruth)

6/5/2011, 9:57 AM

I like it. I pronounce it "gee-LEN" (hard 'g').

- Norah Namenerd +1

6/5/2011, 8:53 AM

I like the sound of it-- sort of like /geez LEHN/ (hard g) in French. I don't really like the look of it, though-- it's kind of ghastly with the gh. Not one of my favorite letter combinations, but Gislaine looks funny.

- Llewella (penguiny7)

6/5/2011, 10:43 AM

I agree, Gislaine does look much more appealing. But then it would also be pronounced differently. But I would like that pronunciation too. :)

This message was edited 6/5/2011, 10:43 AM

- Arialblack

6/5/2011, 6:07 AM

Well, the correct way to pronounce it in French should be "gee-layne" but as many people mispronounce it, both ways are being used. I used to consider it ugly but it started to grow on me, it's rather unusal on younger people and it has character!

Ghislaine ("gee-layne") Iris is fantastic.

- Llewella (penguiny7)

6/5/2011, 5:19 AM

I discovered it quite a while ago and had a brief fling with it. It's not so exciting to me anymore, but I still think it's pretty and has a regality and magic to it. I also like the masculine version, Ghislain. It's very knightly. I pronounce it giz-LAYN/LEN, which hopefully is right because I like it that way. :)

Ghislaine Rose is kind of nice, even though I'm very hesitant to ever like Rose in the mn spot. I also really like Ghislaine Maria.

This message was edited 6/5/2011, 6:15 AM

- Alcyone

6/4/2011, 7:40 PM

I pronounce it gee-LEN. I think it's a beautiful name.

Out of your combos, I think that Ghislaine Rose has the best flow. I like both Sophie and Ghislaine, but I prefer the flow of Ghislaine Sophia.

- Jade Diana (akaZsa) +3

6/4/2011, 7:25 PM

Slightly prefer Ghyslaine, but love the name either way. I say "zsees-layhn" which I know isn't 100% correct (should be "len") but my American eyes want to say layn, so my mouth kind of compromises and softens the ayn sound. I love Ghislaine Rose, Ghislaine Maria/Marie is nice too but I find the commoness/stereotypical-French-ness of Marie kind of dulls Ghislaine.

- Tassiegirl +2

6/4/2011, 8:22 PM

Yes, your pronounciation gets it about right.(I'm in a French-speaking community,and it's a name used now and then.)

I actually know a woman named Ghislaine, however,she married an English-speaker who couldn't cope with the name, so she now goes by Jessie. (sad, is what I think!)

- CN (CSwe) +1

6/5/2011, 6:03 AM

What about Ghislain?

I heard the name Ghislain pronounced like guy-lain (French pronunciation of guy- and -lain). It was an African man from a French-speaking country who had this name (don't remember from which country). Is that how you would pronounce Ghislain too? I guess the guy-part makes since, there is an H after the G, so it could (should?) be pronounced like a hard G but what happened to the S?

- Jade Diana (akaZsa)

6/5/2011, 9:16 AM

My French is really limitted to the bit my Gram has taught me about, and what I have gathered from ballet training. I am going to try and answer anyway... the "H" in French is silent, which is why I was completely disregarding it and starting Ghislaine with the "zs" sound since that is how it works when the "G" comes before an "I". I know that "is" can be pronounced "ee" at the end of words (fleur de LIS), but I don't know/think it works the same in the middle. At least I haven't seen it, but like I said my French is there but a limited. Anyway, if he is saying it as in fleur de lis the "s" has gone silent and basically been dropped.

- Essy (jesselee)

6/4/2011, 7:19 PM

I went to school with a very outgoing, nice, popular girl named Ghislaine (I think she was middle eastern).
She pronounced it Jiz-Len, the stress on the second syllable. Many people called her Ghis (Jiz) for short. Not the prettiest nickname;)

- Verily (Glass Angel)

6/4/2011, 6:42 PM

There's a girl at work called this, she pronounces it "GILL-een" (with a hard g)

- Wordsmith

6/4/2011, 6:37 PM

Oh, I love Ghislaine! I tend to say "gee-LEN" in my head, but I'm not sure if that's the most accurate pronunciation.

Ghislaine Iris is stunning.

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