Forum Baby Names

Lyan or Lyen

9 replies

AnoniemGuest ·
Hi everyone!
We're 20 weeks tomorrow and already know our little one is a boy!
Now we're really into the name Lyan, but we're just unsure about the spelling. I'm not really familiar with the 'forum world' but since I don't want to ask people I know, I thought I'd ask here!
We absolutely love the name Lyan. Pronounced in English, so: LyUn. I've been playing around with the name, and it seems like it's a unisex name but more often chosen for girls. (And then pronounced as LiJan)
Would you also assume it's a girl's name when you see it?
Otherwise, we were thinking about: Lyen
Looking forward to your reactions!

Replies

  1. Anoniem Guest #2

    Just one more addition;
    We want to pronounce it as: LiUn. Curious if you'd also pronounce it that way if you saw Lyan or Lyen

  2. Louise Guest #3

    I assume you live in the Netherlands? Everyone here will pronounce it as 'lian' and think it's a girl's name. Or they think they know the English pronunciation and say it like Brian, i.e., BRIJ AN but then LIJ AN. Don't you think Liam is a bit more clear for a boy?

  3. Anonymous Guest #4

    Lyan sounds feminine (like Lianne but shorter, you know). I'd pronounce Lyen as lie-jen. Not very masculine, but you'll get used to it.
    If you want the pronunciation Lie-jun, I'd think of Liam. I think it's quite popular and the N and M are quite close in pronunciation.
    So initially I'd pronounce the name wrong. People will probably remember the correct pronunciation (but not everyone, I think).

  4. Anoniem started this #5

    Thanks for your reply, Louse
    I do live in the NL, but English names aren't exactly new . But I get what you mean, that's our doubt too. Not so much what people will think of it, but more how it'll be for him in the future. If he has to explain often how to pronounce or spell it, doesn't sound so nice.
    We first had Liam, but he (or still) was in the top and we'd rather have a name that's not so common. And then it'll probably be pronounced as LiJam instead of LiEm.
    So tricky those names

  5. Anoniem Guest #6

    Sorry, Louise it is then

  6. Anoniem started this #7

    Anonymous, I think that if we pronounce it as Lie-jun, others around us will probably start doing the same.
    It's more about later on, it seems annoying to always have to explain how to say or write it.
    Even though we're crazy about the name ourselves, I think we should think further than that
    I'll suggest Lyam/Liam to my husband again.

  7. Anonymous Guest #8

    I think nowadays so many names are given that always need to be spelled out. More than now, I think people will ask in the future how a name should be spelled. Just because there are so many unique spellings.

    Just think of Luc / Luuk / Luuc etc.

    So I don't know if you should let yourself be guided by that.
    I've been spelling my own name my whole life and I've never found it a problem. Well, I'm not called Shuneequiana-Blissfulliy either, so I'm not spending hours on it either. Spelling a 4-letter name seems fine to me.

  8. nano Guest #9

    I think Lyen is fine, really. As long as you just clearly say how to pronounce it yourself. So there's really nothing wrong with it? It's just a matter of getting used to it.
    I wouldn't go for Lyan because then people might think it's a girl's name during a job interview or something.

  9. Anoniem started this #10

    Thanks for your replies.
    I think if we go with that name, it’ll indeed become Lyen. You all confirm what I already suspected – Lyan is still more likely to be seen as a girl’s name.

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