[Opinions] Alix
What do you think of the feminine name Alix? How do you pronounce it?
I have always pronounced it AL-iks (same as the unisex nickname Alex). The BTN entry says it's a medieval French form of Alice, and the comments section has people pronouncing it both AL-iks and ah-LEEKS. I don't know much about French pronunciation, let alone medieval French. Would someone with some French language background enlighten me on the proper way to say it?
Given Alix's sound and etymology, do you think could it be used as a nickname for Alison?
I have always pronounced it AL-iks (same as the unisex nickname Alex). The BTN entry says it's a medieval French form of Alice, and the comments section has people pronouncing it both AL-iks and ah-LEEKS. I don't know much about French pronunciation, let alone medieval French. Would someone with some French language background enlighten me on the proper way to say it?
Given Alix's sound and etymology, do you think could it be used as a nickname for Alison?
Replies
I'd pronounce it ah-LEEKS and I like it BUT I wouldn't use it in the US because I think people would pronounce it like Alex all the time.
Well, the only Alix I ever knew pronounced it just like Alex, so that's the only way I can think of it, though I suppose it's not the 'proper' French pronunciation. I think it's lovely.
I pronounce it ah-leeks, the french way, because i know a french student with that name and do study the french language.
i think its just ok as far as names go, definitely better when pronounced the french way correctly.
i think its just ok as far as names go, definitely better when pronounced the french way correctly.
Alix could easily be used as a nn for Alison. But I'd prefer to see it stand on its own. To me, Alix is utterly gorgeous. It's short, but like Ines, it is elegant and strong.
I have two associations ofr Alix: Eleanor of Acquitaine's dd and the last Empress of Russia. Tsaritsa Alexandra's birth name was Alix.
It's a shame most people think of Alix as merely a variation of Alex. It's a beautiful variant of Alice / Alison and should get more respect as a formal name.
I have two associations ofr Alix: Eleanor of Acquitaine's dd and the last Empress of Russia. Tsaritsa Alexandra's birth name was Alix.
It's a shame most people think of Alix as merely a variation of Alex. It's a beautiful variant of Alice / Alison and should get more respect as a formal name.
I would use the first pronunciation first. I suppose it could be a nn for Alison, but where I live there are so many more Lexis, Alexias, etc. that I'd stick with Alison, Ali, or even Sonny before using Alix.
Love it!
I would probably use it if my partner or whomever in the future really wanted it, but my only reservation is the perception that it is a creative spelling of Alex, which I know it is not. It reminds me of Alix Hesse (who later became Tsarina Alexandra Romanov). Alix Victoria is a lovely combo.
I would probably use it if my partner or whomever in the future really wanted it, but my only reservation is the perception that it is a creative spelling of Alex, which I know it is not. It reminds me of Alix Hesse (who later became Tsarina Alexandra Romanov). Alix Victoria is a lovely combo.
This message was edited 8/28/2009, 4:33 PM
I pronounce it ah-LEEKS, but I do think that if someone were named that (in the US at least) people would just assume it was a different spelling for Alex. Which, of course, it is not. I think it could be a nn for Alison for sure. I kind of like that idea, actually!
Queen Alexandra (Edward VII's wife) was known as Alix: she was Danish, and so probably pronounced it al-EEKS, same as the French pronunciation. I know someone called Alix who's about 50, who pronounces it like Alex. It's okay as a nickname for Alexandra - if you see it written down, you know the person is female, which is useful - but I'm not sure it works for Alison. (Which I much prefer.)
I dislike it, I'd say it just like Alex
In French it is pronounced Alix ah-LEEKS, just like Alice is pronounced ah-LEES.
I would personally never use Alix in an English speaking country just because I don't care for the English pronunciation (AL-iks). It just doesn't seem like the same name to me that way.
I would personally never use Alix in an English speaking country just because I don't care for the English pronunciation (AL-iks). It just doesn't seem like the same name to me that way.