(no subject)

[queen-mab.livejournal.com]

So, I was watching Pan's Labyrinth the other day and decided I like the name Ofelia quite a lot. BUT.. I don't like the name Ophelia.

The Spanish spelling and pronunciation, to me, is loads prettier. O-FAY-lee-uh is so much nicer than O-FEEL-ya to me, for some reason. I just don't like how Ophelia sounds like "Oh, I'll feel ya" and just how it has "feel" in it, period. But I love the name Fay and the sound of it in general. I know, I'm picky and weird.

So the question is.. is it worth putting on my list when I'm not Hispanic and most people where I live (predominantly white farm town) would probably pronounce it the wrong way?

Comments

[th3-unicorn.livejournal.com]

In Italian it's Ofelia as well, pronounced O-FEH-lya.
I really dislike the O-FEE-lya pronounciation.

But I don't think it's the f/ph that should make a difference in the ee/ay(eh) pronounciation.

[th3-unicorn.livejournal.com]

What I was trying to say is that I think you could easily go with Ophelia and have it pronounced O-fay-lya/O-feh-lya. That's how it was originally in latin, and I believe that's how they do it in Germany.

[shortbutfast.livejournal.com]

yes, that *is* how it's pronounced in germany.

[lilacmermaid.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I like that pronunciation!

[queen-mab.livejournal.com]

Ooooh I really like Ophelie, too.

I think it would get really tedious to correct people all the time. I have a friend named Tasoula, pronounced Tuh-SOOL-uh, not Tuh-SOL-luh like most would think. People botch up her name in all manner of ways - Tuh-SUE-luh, Tuh-LOO-suh, and then the more obvious Tuh-SOL-uh, which she doesn't even correct anymore. I feel like correcting something like that would just annoy people and they'd be confused over why I care if the A sounds gets substituted for the E sound. And explaining my pickiness would get exhausting, lol.

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

I have a regular customer named Ofelia (little old white woman, doubt she has any Hispanic in her), and everyone pronounces it with the long e, so I'm guessing you're right and that's mostly what your hypothetical daughter would hear. But if you and, later, she didn't mind correcting people, I guess it wouldn't present too much of a problem amongst acquaintances.

[quite-rosie.livejournal.com]

I like O fay lia better too. People will figure it out, and some may need to be corrected once. It happens to a lot of people, myself included. Not a big deal.

I think it is a lovely name.

[queen-mab.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yeah, I guess after a while people would figure it out.. but it's explaining it to everybody I'm concerned with.

[bluekoala.livejournal.com]

My name is Janine, and EVERYONE fucks it up. I have never in my life had a substitute teacher who got it right on the first go. To be perfectly honest, it's not very bothersome.

[ladydiddymus.livejournal.com]

I think its very pretty, but I don't think its worth it if the pronunciation will inevitably turn to one you don't like. I feel the same way about Claudia - I think Hispanic people say it the prettiest haha. I wouldn't use it because I don't have the accent for it though.

[ghetto-lonetto.livejournal.com]

Agreed! Claudia and Gladys/Gladis sound absolutely beautiful in Spanish and not so terrific in English. My mom wanted to name me Claudia after one of her Columbian friends, but she knew no one would say it right.

[ladydiddymus.livejournal.com]

also, its very likely that your hypothetical daughter will get sick of correcting people (or it could even sound pretentious to correct people on an accent that isn't their own :/ ) and just accept the o-FEEL-yuh pronunciation

[queen-mab.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I thought would happen.

[title-track-1.livejournal.com]

So if Ofelia is the spanish spelling whats Ophelia?

My grandmother is from Mexico and her name is Ophelia, her name is pronounced the same as the first one. I've actually only heard both spellings as O-FAY-lee-uh.

I think regardless of the spelling you are just going to get a mix and prnounciations, i think it more depends on how a person has heard is pronounced before.

[queen-mab.livejournal.com]

According to behindthename.com, Ophelia is English and Ofelia is Spanish and Italian. I wish it was only pronounced O-FAY-lee-uh. =\

[rainbowshine.livejournal.com]

My only comment re the O-fay-lee-uh pronunciation is that it sounds so like "Oh Failure". Sorry but I like the name but I would choose a different way to say it.

[queen-mab.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it.. I do start to hear that when it's pronounced fast. I think I might put Ophelie on my list instead. Thanks for that! lol

[bluekoala.livejournal.com]

iawtc!

[kitchen-poet.livejournal.com]

I like it spelled Ofelia much better too! When I see Ophelia all I can think is "Get thy to a nunnery!" and a crazy girl drowning herself.

I worry that people would see/pronounce Ofelia O-FEEL-yah, and just see the spelling is wrong. It is my same concern with Mathilde, that if I give a child that name I will constantly be correcting people's pronunciation.


Btw, I adored Pan's Labyrinth. :)

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

Here, Ophelia & Ofelia are pronounced the same way. I personally like Ophelia better, because the 'f' looks so harsh to me...but if it makes a difference in pronunciation, then I'd say sure, go on and use it! =)

This is sort of off topic, but I'm going to watch Pan's Labyrinth tonight, haha!

[darkenough.livejournal.com]

I really like Ophelia but didn't really thinkg of the o-FEEL-ya thing lol. and whilst i was liking the o-fay-lee-uh pn, as rainbowshine says it's starting to sound like failure.

I like both spellings and pronuncians though.

[soulsplinter8.livejournal.com]

I LOVE the Spanish pronunciation!!! And I too feel like it would seem strange for me (a white girl) to name a daughter Ofelia. But it's soooo pretty...

Just for the record, I like Ophelia as well. But Ofelia has such a lovely sound to it...