Several posts in one

[girlsteve.livejournal.com]

I'm currently running student elections where I work, and one of the best bits is taking names when people vote. First, I've noticed that there seem to be a lot of people with the rather unfortunate surname of Cockburn. Second, there are a lot of unusual names out there.

Some that I remembered, because I couldn't note them down, were:

Comfort
Leander
Odie
Morrisey
Michael and Luke, both girls
Anderlea


Also, a friend of the family over in Ireland has a son, about five years old, named Brè. Pronounced Bray, it's apparently the Galic name of a seaside town in Dublin. Just wondering what people thought?

Also, and this question is directed to anyone living outside the UK, how would you pronounce the name Leicester?

Comments

[lind-saay.livejournal.com]

Leander is okay, but the rest are awful. Why would you use perfectly good boy names like Michael and Luke on GIRLS??? AAARGHHH.

I like the sound of Bre, but I wouldn't like it if it was being used in the US. In Ireland, I think it's perfectly acceptable.

I would say "Lie-chester" but I am sure it's wrong.

[wistfuljen.livejournal.com]

I would pronounce it kind of like "lester" but then again I am in New England and we are all about weird pronounciations.

[soulsplinter8.livejournal.com]

Actually, half the towns in New England are named after places in England, so you guys pronounce everything correctly (even if it is weird, haha). ;o)

[wistfuljen.livejournal.com]

Haha yeah, that's what I meant, I just phrased it wrong. Don't mind me, I'm heavily medicated for a neck spasm today so words come out wrong.

[soulsplinter8.livejournal.com]

:o)

[kwsh.livejournal.com]

Awww I like Morrissey, I think it's kinda cute.

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

Yeah, whenever I start to really dislike my surname, I think, "At least it's not something like 'Cockburn.'" Which is kind of unfair, since if I ever met someone whose last name was Cockburn, I wouldn't be like, "OMG ur name is silly, lulz." But I'm still glad that it's not my name.

I love Leander. Michael and Luke are great... but on boys.

Leicester would be 'Lester', but I'm cheating because I already knew how to pronounce the once in England.

[matika88.livejournal.com]

I'd pronounce it Lie-chester or Lay-chester.. which I'm sure is wrong but I dont know how else to pronounce it?

[poohbaby.livejournal.com]

i know a Luke that's a girl...but it's pronounced "loo-key" which doesn't make it any better :/

[songspell.livejournal.com]

My understanding is that "Cockburn" is pronounced "COE-burn"... I could be wrong, though...

[lilacmermaid.livejournal.com]

Nope, that is true. It does *look* bad, though!

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I would pronounce it lease-ter. Or lee-chester. I like the look of Brè, but not how it sounds.

[how-obscure.livejournal.com]

I keep wanting ot like Leander, but it seems incomplete to me. I think I keep wanting it to be Oleander, but that's a poisonous flower. >_> Heh.

[soulsplinter8.livejournal.com]

I know a woman named Leander, and it totally works on her. Or, I should say, she works it, lol.

I like the way Brè is pronounced, but I think it looks odd.

And I can't comment on how Liecester is pronounced, because I live in England. ;o)

[stormqueen280.livejournal.com]

Odie? Like in Garfield's Odie? Geez, that's mean, naming you kid after a dog who drools all day (even though he is cute).

Leander is nice. I have a cousin named Leandro. Michael and Luke... are boys. Period. Are you sure that Luke is not some sort of nickname, such as Charlie for Charlotte?

[girlsteve.livejournal.com]

Alas no, we have to verify all the names from their student ID cards, which are filled in from your official records.

[stormqueen280.livejournal.com]

Geez. I'd hate my Mum.

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

I really like Leander! Morrisey is kind of cute as well, but I wouldn't use it. I've actually seen Michael on girls twice before, but I don't like it.
As for pronunciations... I'd actually pronounce Brè like Breh, and Leicester like Lye-chester.

[breenah.livejournal.com]

Lie-chester or Lie-sester, depending on when I saw it.
I kinda like Michael and Luke for girls.

[janeundercover.livejournal.com]

wow i Love Leander.

[nothingtolose19.livejournal.com]

I really like Leander! :)

As for Leicester, I would say Lie-chester.. but reading through the comments I discovered I was wrong! :P

[cremepuff.livejournal.com]

Is Luke short for something, like Luca or Lucretia? I sure hope it is...

[nearlyalegume.livejournal.com]

Leicester is 'Lester'. I'm in Australia.

[cassandrakfreaq.livejournal.com]

LEANDER
Gender: Masculine

Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)

Pronounced: lee-AN-dər (English) [key]

From the Greek Λεανδρος (Leandros) which means "lion of a man" from Greek λεων (leon) "lion" and ανδρος (andros) "of a man". In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.