Message: "WDYTO Guillaume" - Behind the Name

[Opinions] WDYTO Guillaume

by Daffodilla

4/9/2015, 7:31 PM

What is your impression of Guillaume (gee-OM, hard G)? Do you think it would be difficult for people in an english speaking country to pronounce? I have always loved the sound of it. Do you think it would work better as a middle name? Suggestions for first names?

Thanks!

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http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/134038
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#Guillaume

Replies

- caille

4/12/2015, 7:13 AM

It reminds me of Marshmallow in french

- Tiggs

4/10/2015, 9:29 AM

As an English-speaker, this name sounds/feels foreign to me, but not difficult to say, and I think a lot of people may be familiar with actor Robert Guillaume. I think once people are told, they'll not have trouble remembering how to say the name, but remembering how to spell it will likely be a different story and the bearer may get tired of seeing his name butchered. Probably best as a middle; playing a bit...

Ansel Guillaume
Brendan Guillaume
Cassander Guillaume
Clarence Guillaume
Douglas Guillaume
Evander Guillaume
Fletcher Guillaume
Geoffrey Guillaume
Howard Guillaume
Isidore Guillaume
Jasper Guillaume
Lambert Guillaume - cannot help myself
Lewis Guillaume / Louis Guillaume
Maxwell Guillaume
Merit Guillaume / Merritt Guillaume
Neville Guillaume
Niles Guillaume
Noble Guillaume

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- CN +1

4/10/2015, 8:30 AM

I LOVE Guillaume. It's one of my favorite French names and a name I would consider using if I could get away with it (but I can't).
I don't know how hard it is for someone who doesn't know French to figure out how to pronounce it. The sound is simple, I guess spelling it is more difficult than actually saying it.

- queenv

4/10/2015, 6:44 PM

I know how to pronounce it, but that's only because I took French in high school, and in French class we were given the French forms of our names, if such existed, to go by in that class. Mine was a different pronunciation, je-NEES instead of JAN-is. Anyway, there were Williams in the classes who were called Guillaume in the class. For an American, at least, with absolutely no background in French, it would be nearly impossible to know intuitively how to pronounce Guillaume. There are scores of foreign names that I don't how to pronounce. I don't see why knowing how to pronounce foreign names would naturally be expected. When I was in Germany for two weeks, most Germans were totally baffled by my name.

- LMS

4/10/2015, 2:27 AM

I like Guillaume. Of course it will be mispronounced in an English speaking country. I like to think my fellow English speakers are intelligent, but most are not. They can't even pronounce English names half the time.

I like it in the middle name slot because I dislike the nickname Guy.

I would go with:

August Guillaume
Samuel Giullaume
Axel Guillaume
Remiel Guillaume
Alexander Guillaume
Anselmus Guillaume
Roman Guillaume

Unless you want super French, then I would go with: (sorry, my accents aren't working)

Achille Guillaume
Alexandre Guillaume
Auguste Guillaume
Bertrand Guillaume
Edmond Guillaume
Emile Guillaume
Fiacre Guillaume
Leopold Guillaume
Maximilien Guillaume
Nathanael Guillaume
Robert Guillaume

And if you want to go French and alliterative :)

Gaspard Guillaume

- CruelPumps

4/10/2015, 1:59 AM

In English speaking countries everyone would pronounce this the wrong way. It also sounds terrible when pronounced with an English accent.
In general it's an okay name, but far from my favourite form of William.

- queenv

4/9/2015, 8:53 PM

Too difficult in English speaking countries. That's my opinion. Better as a middle name, but I don't see any real reason for an English speaker to use it anywhere.

- jolynda (guest)

4/9/2015, 8:42 PM

Guiomm,Gheomm,Giaum,GheAum. Like the name. But maybe different spelling.

- Flora (booksandtea)

4/9/2015, 8:21 PM

Personally, I love Guillaume, but my family has French & Acadian roots.

I do think it would be difficult for English speakers. I could see gwee-lohm being a common way it is mispronounced. However, everyone your child sees regularly would learn how to pronounce it pretty easily, I think.

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