[Opinions] Jean (M)
I met a boy with this name.
Thoughts?
Despite having the same spelling as feminine Jean, could this name work in the Anglosphere (pronounced as JAN)?
“Dear optimist, pessimist, and realist – while you guys were busy arguing about the glass of wine, I drank it! Sincerely, the opportunist!”
-Lori Greiner
Thoughts?
Despite having the same spelling as feminine Jean, could this name work in the Anglosphere (pronounced as JAN)?
“Dear optimist, pessimist, and realist – while you guys were busy arguing about the glass of wine, I drank it! Sincerely, the opportunist!”
-Lori Greiner
Replies
It's pronounced ZHAHN. Where did the JAN pronunciation come from?
If I’m not mistaken it’s supposed to be pronounced like John.
I actually like it for a boy, I would use it if it weren’t so feminized.
I actually like it for a boy, I would use it if it weren’t so feminized.
It's ok for a girl, not at all for a boy
Happens every day in South Africa: we've even had a (male) Springbok rugby captain named Jean de Villiers. Towards the end of the 17th century, France revoked the Edict of Nantes which has guaranteed Protestants freedom of worship, so many of them chose to leave the country. South Africa at that time was governed by the Dutch East India Company - it was a useful half-way station between Europe and the East - and the Huguenots were, apart from being Protestant like the Netherlands, mostly skilled, hard-working people and welcome settlers. They naturally became assimilated into the Dutch-speaking population, founded the wine industry and continued to use French given names while speaking the Dutch which was even then becoming Afrikaans.
Present-day South AFricans pronounce Jean (m) as Zhahn, more or less. Jean-Pierre is also often used, and often shortened to JP.
Present-day South AFricans pronounce Jean (m) as Zhahn, more or less. Jean-Pierre is also often used, and often shortened to JP.
Jean on a boy i have heard is french form of john,
I’d be really surprised to meet an English-speaking adult that didn’t know Jean is also a masculine name with a French pronunciation (which isn’t quite JAN, but nearly). It works, sure. It’s just like John or Sean to me, nothing exciting.
I know it isn't JAN, in fact, it's ZHAN, but it's like a simplified pronunciation.
I imagine most people here won’t even need the pronunciation, to be honest!