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HelpFrustrated by mispronunciation
I'm becoming quite overwhelmed with the vast majority of people around me. My husband and I named our son Rhys. I think five people [at most] have pronounced his name correctly since his birth at the beginning of the year. Nurses, doctors, insurance people, teachers, friends-- everyone-- mispronounces his name. The most common pronunciation is "Rice" or "Riss". The Rice one drives me insane. His doctor and nurses call him this incessantly, even after I've corrected them. Actually, when I've been on the phone with insurance people or nurses to schedule appointments, I give them his name and they'll say something like, "Okay, we'll see *HER* on Monday!" Her.. yeah.
Unfortunately, we live in the south, and I'm desperately hoping this problem will resolve itself when we move to a better region. Am I just surrounded by idiots? Would his name be so horribly butchered where you live?
Unfortunately, we live in the south, and I'm desperately hoping this problem will resolve itself when we move to a better region. Am I just surrounded by idiots? Would his name be so horribly butchered where you live?
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Replies
Ugh! I feel for you. My daughter's name pronunciation is apparently not intuitive for a lot of people, so I'm patient when they get it wrong, but at least I've never run into anyone who isn't willing and eager to get it right. Rhys "Reese" is normal as far as I'm concerned. It did take me a little practice to get used to it - at first I thought it was Riss. But if I was supposed to remember it associated with a human being, I'd have been much quicker because it's embarrassing (and yeah, a little dumb) to get a person's name wrong more than once.
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I live in the UK and I know a few guys/boys called Rhys. In my experience, people don't pronounce it wrong very often. You should move here :P
I think it's fair enough for people to get it wrong first time, if they've never seen the name, but you would think they'd try to get it right after you corrected them - I think that is really rude!
I think the reason why people think it's a girls name is because of Reese/Reece sometimes being used as a girls' name, such as Reese Witherspoon.
I personally think Rhys is a great boys name :)
I think it's fair enough for people to get it wrong first time, if they've never seen the name, but you would think they'd try to get it right after you corrected them - I think that is really rude!
I think the reason why people think it's a girls name is because of Reese/Reece sometimes being used as a girls' name, such as Reese Witherspoon.
I personally think Rhys is a great boys name :)
This message was edited 8/15/2011, 1:07 AM
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I appreciate the spelling of Rhys and I think I understand why you chose it. It can be frustrating to correct people but the alternative would be probably equally as irritating - Rhys becoming the #1 name in the US :)
Kudos to you for choosing what I consider to be a great name. I live in FL also and if I saw your kid I'd know how to pronounce his name. I just asked my husband who is Latin and he knew how to pronounce it. Just move further South in Florida :)
Kudos to you for choosing what I consider to be a great name. I live in FL also and if I saw your kid I'd know how to pronounce his name. I just asked my husband who is Latin and he knew how to pronounce it. Just move further South in Florida :)
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My sister's boyfriend is named Rhys, and I don't think he has had many problems (aside from people spelling it Reece, Reese etc). I live in Australia though.
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I do understand your frustration. I love Carolina (with the Latin pronunciation) but I also live in Virginia and I knew it would never fly here so I never even considered it seriously with my last child.
Yes, Reese and Reece are more well known in the US, however, with the popularity of Irish actor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, I'm hoping that will change. I personally love Rhys (this spelling only). At least you didn't dumb down. That's a pet peeve of mine (not that it should matter to anyone, lol). Would Rhys be butchered here? Perhaps, however, people can be easily educated. My advice is to educate them and take great pride in doing so.
Yes, Reese and Reece are more well known in the US, however, with the popularity of Irish actor, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, I'm hoping that will change. I personally love Rhys (this spelling only). At least you didn't dumb down. That's a pet peeve of mine (not that it should matter to anyone, lol). Would Rhys be butchered here? Perhaps, however, people can be easily educated. My advice is to educate them and take great pride in doing so.
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Rhys is not the most common spelling and just because you spelled it that way doesn't mean everyone is going to know how it is pronounced, you'll just have to deal with it. It really drives me up a tree when parents choose an unpopular spelling or pronunciation of a common name and then get offended when it is mispronounced. I think if you're going to choose an unpopular spelling or pronunciation of a name you don't have the right to be offended when people mispronounce it because it's uncommon and it should be obvious that people will mispronounce a name like Rhys.
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I never said that Rhys wasn't the original spelling, just that it isn't the most common one.
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It is "unpopular" in the states, actually. I have gleaned from BTN that it's a pretty standard name in other English-speaking countries but here my impression is that It's almost unknown. Reese/Reece are way more common. I had never heard of Rhys before I came to BTN and I thought it was totally ridiculous.
I sort of agree with Rainbow Dash that it's unreasonable to expect people to be familiar with a spelling counterintuitive to what they're culturally accustomed to. But I don't think the OP should have named their kid Reese instead. However, not being a name specialist a few years ago, when I would have said Rhys incorrectly, does not mean that I was a "moron" despite living in the south, and I basically think OP should suck it up and get over it. Suffer for beauty, right?
I sort of agree with Rainbow Dash that it's unreasonable to expect people to be familiar with a spelling counterintuitive to what they're culturally accustomed to. But I don't think the OP should have named their kid Reese instead. However, not being a name specialist a few years ago, when I would have said Rhys incorrectly, does not mean that I was a "moron" despite living in the south, and I basically think OP should suck it up and get over it. Suffer for beauty, right?
This message was edited 8/13/2011, 9:54 PM
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To be fair, I think Rainbow Dash meant to say that choosing a spelling that's unusual in certain locations and then getting upset when people don't pronounce it right (because they're unfamiliar with it) can be a bit absurd.
I'm sorry, but I agree (not saying this to Haeri specifically, but in general). I don't know where Haeri lives, but if it's the southern US, or US in general, I'm not surprised. Rhys is not a common name here, especially in that spelling, when most people are familiar with the name because of Reese Witherspoon.
I'm sorry, but I agree (not saying this to Haeri specifically, but in general). I don't know where Haeri lives, but if it's the southern US, or US in general, I'm not surprised. Rhys is not a common name here, especially in that spelling, when most people are familiar with the name because of Reese Witherspoon.
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My aunt/ uncle/ cousins have the last name Reese (like Reese's Pieces and Peanut Butter Cups). I also know of a family that spells it Reece from work. I heard it said REE sees on tv, and it annoyed me. Rhys isn't common here, so there will be an annoying amount of people will mispronounce it. Even one can be annoying- the secretary keeps saying bri SIH dee ah for Briceida (bree SAY da). She should know the name. The kid has gone to school here four years now.
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For sure, it would be mispronounced in my area, but that's not surprising, as it's a French-speaking area.
Hey, my name is Jean, and I'm female, but the name Jean is a male one in French, so that has caused me some annoyance.I've taken a cheque to the bank, made out to me(or Moi!)and been asked, "Is that your husband? your son? It's not counter-signed." Production of driver's licence with unflattering picture upon, to prove I am myself.
Hey, my name is Jean, and I'm female, but the name Jean is a male one in French, so that has caused me some annoyance.I've taken a cheque to the bank, made out to me(or Moi!)and been asked, "Is that your husband? your son? It's not counter-signed." Production of driver's licence with unflattering picture upon, to prove I am myself.
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Wait....if it's not Rice then what is it? I know a kid named Rhys, and everyone (including his parents) pronounces it Rice.
Okay, I just looked it up. The truth is, Reese Witherspoon is the most famous person in America with a name pronounced like that. It's understandable that people would assume it's a girl. It's also understandable that people wouldn't know how to pronounce that, especially if it's not even in the top 100.
Okay, I just looked it up. The truth is, Reese Witherspoon is the most famous person in America with a name pronounced like that. It's understandable that people would assume it's a girl. It's also understandable that people wouldn't know how to pronounce that, especially if it's not even in the top 100.
This message was edited 8/13/2011, 7:10 PM
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Wow that's quite funny that a family named their kid Rhys and didn't even know how to pronounce it properly!
Mind you, you occasionally see people pronouncing quite common names wrong deliberately. Like "it's spelled like Emma, but it's pronounced "ee-ma"" or something like that (thats just a made-up example)
Mind you, you occasionally see people pronouncing quite common names wrong deliberately. Like "it's spelled like Emma, but it's pronounced "ee-ma"" or something like that (thats just a made-up example)
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Well, I live in Wyoming. To be completely honest, I thought Rhys was pronounced "Riss" before I came to this site and actually looked it up... it isn't common here at all.
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I think this sort of thing happens no matter what. My name is a rather common one, with only one extra letter from the original spelling, but you'd be amazed at how many people mispronounce it. When that happens, I just correct them. It used to bother me when I was younger, but not so much anymore.
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I'm not that surprised. It's getting more popular but not everyone is super on top of those trends. Hopefully it'll get better. Though, if they're doing it after you corrected them that's just lame.
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That is bizarre. I can't imagine anyone here (Canada - though I can't really speak for the whole country!) screwing that one up. I would assume Rhys was masculine would pronounce it Reese (like the peanut butter cup). And I would think most people I know would do the same. Very weird. I'm so sorry.
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I'd like to think most people would know how to pronounce it correctly, but that's probably not true. Unfortunately. However, I do know that it's getting more common (went from #937 in 2004 and in 2010 was #471) and I see more people considering it (non namenerd types). It's the sort of name that would follow current trends. So hopefully things will get better for you! I'm sure it's really frustrating, but at least you can feel good that you know more than those people do? :)
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Apologies. I responded to the wrong thing.
This message was edited 8/13/2011, 6:42 PM
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Where do you live!?
Really? Rhys is so common in Australia! We get alot of different irish/scottish/welsh names though so names like Rhys, Seamus etc. aren't misprounounced very often. It is so suprising that where ever you live they have never seen it before! Rhys is so common here its like saying to me that everyone in my area can't say/spell something like Jacob! lol.
Really? Rhys is so common in Australia! We get alot of different irish/scottish/welsh names though so names like Rhys, Seamus etc. aren't misprounounced very often. It is so suprising that where ever you live they have never seen it before! Rhys is so common here its like saying to me that everyone in my area can't say/spell something like Jacob! lol.
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Florida, USA
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You live in Florida? I do too and I ALWAYS knew how to pronounce Rhys... dumb people.
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I agree with beethoven. They're not dumb for not knowing how to pronounce a name most of them have likely never seen let alone heard of before. This is Florida we're talking about, not Wales. Rhys is not a common name in American at all, and just because you're familiar with it doesn't mean the rest of the nation is. I think as namenerds we have a skewed perception of all things name-related, and this is an example of that.
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they're not dumb
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A blanket statement like "they're not dumb" or "they are dumb" is wrong with fallacy. Certainly, some of the people are dumb and some are not. You can't make a blanket statement until you've met ALL the people.
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I'll tell you who's dumb: the people that she repeatedly corrects and insist on still saying the name however they want. I work in a hospital and if there is a tough name, the person's name is written out (somewhere) phonetically so that they don't keep butchering the person's name. It's just disrespectful.
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Right, that is dumb.
Maegirl, what I meant wasn't necessarily that they're NOT dumb, just that I would cross out "dumb" in the post I was replying to
Maegirl, what I meant wasn't necessarily that they're NOT dumb, just that I would cross out "dumb" in the post I was replying to
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I agree!
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Honestly, the first time I ever saw the name Rhys was in a book, and my intial pronunciation was "Rice". Later, of course, I looked it up, and now I know how to pronounce it a bit better (albeit, a Welsh person might cry listening to me...).
Rhys is not an English name, so it is a little unrealistic to expect English-speakers to pronounce it like the Anglicized Reese (which isn't even the "correct" pronunciation anyway). That being said, if you've corrected them, and they still pronounce it as Rice or Riss, then that's just laziness, imo.
Sorry for your frustration. :( If it makes you feel any better, I would assume Rhys was a boy. The name seems really masculine to me.
Rhys is not an English name, so it is a little unrealistic to expect English-speakers to pronounce it like the Anglicized Reese (which isn't even the "correct" pronunciation anyway). That being said, if you've corrected them, and they still pronounce it as Rice or Riss, then that's just laziness, imo.
Sorry for your frustration. :( If it makes you feel any better, I would assume Rhys was a boy. The name seems really masculine to me.
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