Hellobee Boards Topic: If English isn't your parent's first language...

Hellobee Boards Topic: If English isn't your parent's first language... https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 28 May 2026 05:44:20 +0000 mrs.shinerbock on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078781 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 15:14:24 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2078781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My ILs don't speak English, so one of the requirements for all LO names is that they work well in English and Spanish. Meridian on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078495 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 12:20:00 +0000 Meridian 2078495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ It was definitely a consideration, we tried saying potential names with an Asian accent, heh. LO's name has an "r" which is tricky for both sets of parents, so Carson is "Cah-son". It still sounds ok! Mamasig on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078196 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 09:24:34 +0000 Mamasig 2078196@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes, yes, yes!!!! That was one of my main points when picking out names. It had to sound good in both spanish and English. I didn't want my baby's name butchered. I remember when my sister was pregnant, she liked the name Madison. Well when my mom says it, it sounds like medicine. That was quickly vetoed! MrsSCB on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078177 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 09:13:13 +0000 MrsSCB 2078177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Even with English as her only language, my grandma had a very southern accent and always pronounced my sister and cousin's names wrong. And a family friend with a Korean name that was only one syllable -- she still couldn't get it right :-P Matcha Latte on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078119 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 08:14:29 +0000 Matcha Latte 2078119@https://boards.hellobee.com/ English is my parents first and only language and they cannot pronounce LOs very Japanese name. LOs middle is more western so they can easily call him by his middle name but they refuse to. looch on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078081 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 07:15:15 +0000 looch 2078081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Surprisingly, we don't have this problem. English isn't the first language of my parents, inlaws or husband and no one has a problem with his name. mamimami on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078079 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 07:07:12 +0000 mamimami 2078079@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My in laws can't say my daughter's name very well. It usually ends up like "shallot." We didn't anticipate it would be a problem, but her real first name is Hispanic so anyone who wants to can always use that instead! ineebee on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078051 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 05:03:16 +0000 ineebee 2078051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My parents speak Korean and are okay at English, but I still want to pick a name that wouldn't sound terrible coming out of their mouths. LO will have a Korean middle name, though, so maybe it won't matter because they would just call him by that... But still! Kimberlybee on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078014 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 01:11:59 +0000 Kimberlybee 2078014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think DD's first name is really easy for everyone but I gave her a Vietnamese middle name so my mom and our 1st generation relatives can call her by her middle name. I like Harper or Heather if we ever have another girl but I can see those as being hard for my mom. She will probably say it like (Hopper or Header) which still sounds cute to me. LOL Mrs. High Heels on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078012 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 00:55:41 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 2078012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes, they didn't have to say it perfectly... but we wanted names that were easy enough for them to pronounce. lamariniere on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2078006 Fri, 20 Feb 2015 00:36:27 +0000 lamariniere 2078006@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Neither of our parents' first languages are English, so pronunciation was definitely a consideration! My dad still manages to butcher DS's name even though I *know* he can pronounce it correctly! Mrs. Bee on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077674 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 19:52:17 +0000 Mrs. Bee 2077674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ korean doesn't have an l sound, and both charlie and olive have l's in their names. my mom just pronounces their name with a korean accent -- chalee and oleebeu. Mrs. Jacks on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077612 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 19:22:44 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2077612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: :). I know the Gullah say Jedus instead of Jesus, so I tried to work backwards from that. Mrs. Lemon-Lime on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077592 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 19:09:21 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2077592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Mrs. Jacks: very, very close. sunny on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077582 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:57:45 +0000 sunny 2077582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My parents are able to say my LO's name. My brother's name has a similar tough sound. I know that it is a tough name for some people to say though, particularly certain asian populations. mrsjyw on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077581 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:56:10 +0000 mrsjyw 2077581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yep! Tried to avoid Rs... :silly: Mrs. Jacks on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077576 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:51:40 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 2077576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Stephanie? I was trying to figure out what letter would translate to "D" in Gullah! Such an interesting culture! Mrs. Lemon-Lime on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077555 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:29:16 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2077555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ English is my family's native tongue, but my grandfather always spoke with a thick Gullah accent. <a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah" rel="nofollow">http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah</a> He would pronounce my name like Daphne, my name has more syllables and starts with a different letter. :silly: FannyMae on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077544 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:22:30 +0000 FannyMae 2077544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My mum easily pronounces my daughter's name in English, and it is different in Greek (its my mum's aunt's name) but she always calls her by her English name. The best is when she writes her cards and writes her name phonetically hehe BSB on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077527 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:08:21 +0000 BSB 2077527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No, but my parents can hardly say the names of my 3 nephews. They know my niece and nephew but they are 15 and 19 years old by now. They had quite a few years to get their names straight. Haha. autumnlove on "If English isn't your parent's first language..." https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-english-isnt-your-parents-first-language#post-2077519 Thu, 19 Feb 2015 18:00:38 +0000 autumnlove 2077519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Did you try to pick a name that your parents can pronounce easily? My Dad still has a hard time with LO 1's first name. He can say her nickname but still butchers her full first name and our last name. :) He doesn't have any issues with saying LO 2's name so I also want to choose an "easy" name for LO 3!