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HelpLouis Pronunciation Problem - What to do?
Louis is my favorite boy name, but it violates one of my personal qualifications for an ideal name, which is a pronunciation issue.
I suspect this pronunciation issue only exists in the US, where we often bastardize many cultural artifacts from other countries.
All of my life I thought it was pronounced LEW-IS in English and LEW-EE in French. After some research, I learned LEW-EE is the correct pronunciation in both languages.
I like the LEW-EE pronunciation so that is not the problem. What I see as the problem is that the LEW-IS mispronunciation is such a common mistake to the point that an American LEW-EE could suffer a life-time of constantly correcting his name from LEW-IS and might even come across as a little pretentious in the process.
I don't like Lewis because it clashes visually with my vowel-heavy Italian last name.
But I love Louis, and even like the correct pronunciation. In fact I think I like LEW-EE even more than LEW-IS.
I only knew of one Louis, and he went by Lou so I am unsure of how he pronounced his name.
So what would YOU do? Would you insist on the LEW-EE pronunciation, despite the constant corrections? Would you knowingly use the common mispronunciation just to save the kid the headache? Would you let your kid decide how he wants to pronounce the name? Or just abandon the name altogether?
I really love how Louis is classic, underused, and full of historical significance. I hate the thought of knowingly mispronouncing a name, but nevertheless want a name to be easy to bear.
I suspect this pronunciation issue only exists in the US, where we often bastardize many cultural artifacts from other countries.
All of my life I thought it was pronounced LEW-IS in English and LEW-EE in French. After some research, I learned LEW-EE is the correct pronunciation in both languages.
I like the LEW-EE pronunciation so that is not the problem. What I see as the problem is that the LEW-IS mispronunciation is such a common mistake to the point that an American LEW-EE could suffer a life-time of constantly correcting his name from LEW-IS and might even come across as a little pretentious in the process.
I don't like Lewis because it clashes visually with my vowel-heavy Italian last name.
But I love Louis, and even like the correct pronunciation. In fact I think I like LEW-EE even more than LEW-IS.
I only knew of one Louis, and he went by Lou so I am unsure of how he pronounced his name.
So what would YOU do? Would you insist on the LEW-EE pronunciation, despite the constant corrections? Would you knowingly use the common mispronunciation just to save the kid the headache? Would you let your kid decide how he wants to pronounce the name? Or just abandon the name altogether?
I really love how Louis is classic, underused, and full of historical significance. I hate the thought of knowingly mispronouncing a name, but nevertheless want a name to be easy to bear.
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In American English both pronunciations are used and because the name is being used in that context, one pronunciation is no more correct than the other. Sure, the LEW-is pronunciation is bastardized to fit English, but it is just as traditional as LEW-ee in the states. Stick with the French pronunciation if that is what strikes you. People will learn it.
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I've been thinking about this, and I think if I had a kid with a name with more than one standard pronunciation, I would make it so neither were officially correct. I might call him one, but I would tell others to call him whichever they prefer, and generally enforce the idea that it didn't matter which pronunciation was used. I don't think it would be that confusing, and also I think it would be kinna cool.
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Lew-ee!
Although I prefer Luis or Luigi, Louis sounds better than Lewis. (Huh?)
Although I prefer Luis or Luigi, Louis sounds better than Lewis. (Huh?)
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edited
I think most English speakers say lew-is so it doesn't really matter. I think most people would never pronounce it lew-ee unless they speak french.
oh and in spanish it is pr- lew-is and spelled luis how about that ? my teddy is louis orlando - lew-EE
i know a terrible guy named lou so i don't like that at all
oh and did you know that maria used to be pr. like mariah ? and christian was popular for girls in the middle ages ? pronunciations etc change over time. it really doesn't matter. most americans pr. jacqueline jack-lynn which is wrong. in french it's zhuk-LEEN.
I think most English speakers say lew-is so it doesn't really matter. I think most people would never pronounce it lew-ee unless they speak french.
oh and in spanish it is pr- lew-is and spelled luis how about that ? my teddy is louis orlando - lew-EE
i know a terrible guy named lou so i don't like that at all
oh and did you know that maria used to be pr. like mariah ? and christian was popular for girls in the middle ages ? pronunciations etc change over time. it really doesn't matter. most americans pr. jacqueline jack-lynn which is wrong. in french it's zhuk-LEEN.
This message was edited 10/7/2008, 10:27 AM
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In the UK it's usually 'LOO-ee'.
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My brother has two friends named Louis, both pronounce it 'LOO-ee'. I never even considered that it would be pronounced like Lewis.
I'm in the UK, btw.
I'm in the UK, btw.
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I actually don't think it would be too hard to get Americans to pronounce Louis LE-WEE, because Louie, pronounced LE-WEE, is a fairly common nickname for Louis that Americans are used to, and they wouldn't even think of the fact that they were actually saying, "Louis" and not "Louie."
Where did you read or hear that the LEW-IS pronunciation for Louis is incorrect? There must be thousands of American Louis's out there who pronounce their name that way. They don't think it's incorrect, nor did their parents. I think the LEW-IS pronunciation is like the word "hopefully", which some think is misused if it's used to mean, "It is to be hoped." If it's common enough and accepted enough, then it eventually it becomes correct. Words can change meanings, and names can change pronunciation. And putting an American accent or pronunciation on something doesn't automatically make it a bastardization.
I just thought of something---the name Maurice. Americans pronounce this the French way, MOR-EES. But don't the British pronounce it as Morris? I think they do, because I know that's how Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees pronounced it--who was Australian, I know, but was born in England of British parents. So in this case, the situation is reversed. But I wouldn't say that the British pronunciation is incorrect, or that they are bastardizing it. It's just the British pronunciation.
Where did you read or hear that the LEW-IS pronunciation for Louis is incorrect? There must be thousands of American Louis's out there who pronounce their name that way. They don't think it's incorrect, nor did their parents. I think the LEW-IS pronunciation is like the word "hopefully", which some think is misused if it's used to mean, "It is to be hoped." If it's common enough and accepted enough, then it eventually it becomes correct. Words can change meanings, and names can change pronunciation. And putting an American accent or pronunciation on something doesn't automatically make it a bastardization.
I just thought of something---the name Maurice. Americans pronounce this the French way, MOR-EES. But don't the British pronounce it as Morris? I think they do, because I know that's how Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees pronounced it--who was Australian, I know, but was born in England of British parents. So in this case, the situation is reversed. But I wouldn't say that the British pronunciation is incorrect, or that they are bastardizing it. It's just the British pronunciation.
This message was edited 10/7/2008, 7:04 AM
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Hello, I have a Louis and we pronounce it the correct way of Lou-ee. I am in England though where 99% of the time it is pronounced this way.
It is such a wonderful name and I've not once had any regrets. My Louis is Louis Arthur and he is almost four. I strongly dislike Lewis as I find it harsh and does not hold any of the charm that Louis does.
Deebs
It is such a wonderful name and I've not once had any regrets. My Louis is Louis Arthur and he is almost four. I strongly dislike Lewis as I find it harsh and does not hold any of the charm that Louis does.
Deebs
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