View Message

There is a shopping complex close to where I live which called Orion and pronounced O'RYAN. That's how I pronounce Orion now but at first I pronounced it OR REE ON. I like the way Orion looks but you may have trouble with the pronunciation.

I like Orion (pronounced the same as O'Ryan). I've never heard of any other pronunciation, to tell you the truth, but if that's not the way it's pronounced in Israel, then your child should be fine.

---

Tell me, which syllable is being stressed here? Is is OR-ee-on or or-EE-on (which I prefer)? Either way, Ori makes a cute nn. I wouldn't dumb down the spelling at all. People will get it.

This message was edited 11/3/2015, 8:19 PM

I'm from Sweden, and I prn it the same say your husband do. I would go with the original spelling; Orion, and simply correct people if they pronounce it in a different way.

They was I say it is OR-ree-on. English is not my first language and this is what sounds natural to me. I realise that English speaker will default to o-RYE-on, but I wouldn't spell it any differently, just correct them.

I usually say O'Ryan, but there is an agribusiness reporter on a show that my dad watches who pronounces it OH ree yin, so for him I use that pronunciation.

The second pronouncistion I prefer.

The second pronouncistion I prefer.

I would spell it Orion! Whyever not? There's nothing wrong with educating the public, and nothing to suggest that most members of the public would need educating.

---

The standard pronunciation would surely be or-IE-un. I've never heard anything else.

I've only ever heard it being pronounced as oh-REE-on. But then again, I don't live in the US.

---

I wouldn't change the spelling. People will get used to your pronunciation after some time.

I pronounce it or-RYE-on and that's how it is pronounced in English.
My name is adopted from French and is pronounced in an English way. French speakers I encounter, and other people who don't have English as their first language, pronounce it the French way. I don't correct them. I go ahead and introduce myself with my pronunciation and sometimes they go ahead and say it their way, and it's OK. I think if you did that - just go on saying it as you do, but don't correct anyone - most people would catch on, and if they don't you don't have to let it bother you!
I would not respell a name that is spelled in a traditional way and recognizable.
There are Rians at my kids' school who pronounce it REE-on and everyone says Ryan at first and then picks it up. People are more teachable than you think, they want to say names the way the bearer prefers - you don't have to cajole, or insist. I know a Leah pronounced LEH-ah and everyone learned that too.

I'm in the USA and I've only ever heard o-RY-an. I live in WA and my family's from OH and I've only heard it that way both places.

---

I would not change the spelling regardless, you'd have to correct pronunciation any way you spell it, and if you change the spelling you'd have to correct spelling as well.

This message was edited 11/2/2015, 7:13 PM

I'm from the U.S. and I pronounce it pretty much like O'Ryan, but a bit more flowed together at the beginning. Like a shwa or 'uh' sound to the O. To illustrate: or-EYE-un or uh-RYE-in

---

I've never heard it pronounced the other way. Is there a stress on any syllable? I would say that, if you're in the U.S., you may have trouble getting people to think it's pronounced any other way than the O'Ryan way. :/ The best thing I can think of is just telling people it's pron. the Israeli way or choosing a different name for his first name and maybe using Orion as a middle? Just be prepared for explaining every time you introduce him.

---

Or you could spell it differently? I'm generally not a fan of doing that unless absolutely necessary but if you can find a spelling you like then that could be an option. Using an E in the middle might make it look like Oreo too much (Oreon, Oreion), and adding a Y would just possibly reinforce the O'Ryan association (Oryan). It would completely change the name, but if it's just the sound you're really going for, (and it's pron. OR-ee-in) then Aurian or Orien would be good. If it's pron. or-EE-in, I don't have another suggestion except Orieon, which looks a bit strange to me, really. Sorry! good luck!

The only Orion I knew pronounces it OR-ee-an, because his mother had trouble pronouncing it O'Ryan (she was Japanese and never really learned English). It worked for him, though I always thought that reasoning was funny.

---

For what it's worth, I prefer O'Ryan. I think it sounds warmer. And reminds me of the cat from Men In Black.

I know two and both pronounce it like O'Ryan, although I'm from the UK.

Or-ee-in is how we say it where I'm from. Nobody will say O'Ryan if it's a first name. It's a pretty common name here in north east Ohio western Pennsylvania region