Is this a logical reason to change a baby’s name?

[MongerNoLonger]

My DH is from Spain, so we decided to give our child a name that is common in Spain. The problem is that I’ve noticed that people intentionally try to avoid saying her name. I believe it is because they’re worried that they’re going to mispronounce it or feeling self-conscious that they’re going to sound strange whilst saying it (because it doesn’t sound as natural when said with an English accent). Even friends and family will call her the baby or little one instead of saying her actual name (whereas my nephews have always been referred to as their actual names).

She’s a few months old, and I think that it would be wise to change it now (before she becomes aware of her name). I really don’t want my child to endure a lifetime of people going to great lengths to avoid saying her name. Our first names are such a core part of our identity. What are your thoughts?

But it's still very pertinent to this discussion. You personally may hate the thought of tabloid papers, but they have a huge readership and will influence millions of people - who will then allow what they read in them to influence their speech and language comprehension.

Manuela isn't a difficult name? are people really that obtuse?

I obviously can't speak for her; but personally, I wouldn't like that: effectively having two distinctly different names - and also knowing that even the people who get it right will hear the others who don't and wonder if they are wrong and should change how they say it.

I lived in a different European country for a year and people often pronounced by name in the way you would in their language/pronunciation - which didn't bother me in the slightest, as I was the incomer; but I wouldn't like that situation in my own country.

@AWeeCupOfTeaAndAnIndividualFruitTrifle , I don't think that how the Daily Mail refers to King Felipe or the merit of it's gossip features is worth the scrutiny afforded to it on this thread. I appreciate that the Daily Mail probably influences it's readers. I don't read it because I don't like the tone, politically or socially, or the quality of the journalism.

Is your son's middle name Alun?

@TinyTear , no they're not but it takes a while to get used to a baby's name, and it may be that they find it not a 'baby name' i.e. the currently popular cutesy or girlish names.

Manuela is a lovely name - and certainly not one that would frighten a lot of English speakers in the way that, say, some Polish or Czech names might.

That said, there are still three different pronunciations that could very plausibly be correct to many English-speakers, and they wouldn't instinctively know which might be the right one: man-WELL-uh; man-WAY-luh; or man-yoo-ELLA.

I've got to be honest; my main frame of reference would be Manuel from Fawlty Towers, so I'd assume it was that with 'uh' on the end; but that was from 50 years ago, so - classic as it is - it won't be a common frame of reference for a great many people from younger generations.

Fair enough, then.

No, not Alun - it's regional and not even a common name in most of Wales, but those who know the language will at least recognise it as a Welsh name (and not just a 'yooneek' try-hard spelling of the common English name) and thus know how to pronounce it.

@AWeeCupOfTeaAndAnIndividualFruitTrifle , Deiniol?

I've just looked at the Daily Mail site and one of the gossip articles is "Amanda Holden shares a passionate kiss with husband Chris Hughes in the stands after tucking into champagne during day one of Wimbledon" A married couple kissing. Mindblowing!

You could call her an easier to say derivative of that name so no need to change the name or call her her middle name

This feels unfair. Nobody says Japanese people are notoriously bad at pronouncing foreign names when they cannot say the letter L. Different languages include different sounds and some sounds are difficult for Brits, just like the Japanese can’t say Laura and the Chinese cannot say Rory or Aurora and Filipinos say So-P-ie not Sophie.

It's not difficult to say. Obvious diminutives for me would be Manu or Ela, and Ela is so meh. OP should persevere with the nice name she has given her daughter.

I think it’s a lovely name and I love Mani which it will
probably get shortened to as she grows up. I wouldn’t struggle pronouncing it either, it’s just Man-Wella surely? Or do you put emphasis on the U so it’s Man-U-Ella?

Either way it’s gorgeous don’t change it.

I really dislike how quick some MNers are to brand others as 'thick'. OP says they aren't mispronouncing it - they are avoiding using it because they are frightened of getting it wrong. That might be self-consciousness, a lack of confidence, an overactive fear of causing offence, but it's not thick.

It's pretty thick. Most of us encounter new words, unfamiliar terms etc we have to get our heads around on a regular basis, unless we live in a box. A person of even very average intelligence asks, asks again if they're not understood or remembered, and absorbs. They don't avoid using the new word. Especially if that new word if the name of a child who is going to be in their family forever.

Some people are 'thick' with names and will struggle no matter what and completely fail to get a fairly straightforward name right.

Maybe OP mixes with this one's circle Page 2 | Change baby boy name for baby living between the UK and Greece | Mumsnet

I have an Italian first name which I hated growing up as no-one could say it......now I love it.

This reminds me of my dggm who was born in the late 19th century when most women in my family seemed to be called Mary and most men Robert or William. One of her 8 dggc was born in the mid 70s and given the name Joanne. Of course her name was passed to us by dggm and she told us it was an unusual name, a boy's name Stephanie. I'm not sure how she came up with that but it was years later when I found out her real name.

This sums it up for me. Just be confident in your English interpretation, Manwela (?). I love the Spanish diminutive for Manuel/ Manuela, Mani, but you would be using that if you wanted too

Stick with your choice and power through any doubts/ doubters