[name_f]My[/name_f] first name is [name_f]Mary[/name_f] hyphen (a very common name that starts with a vowel). I like my name, but I don’t like constantly correcting people or just accepting wrong versions (my usual move because I don’t like the confrontation). Most people either think that my name is [name_f]Mary[/name_f] and that the second part of my first name is my middle name, which makes me feel pretentious, or they hear both names as one because of the vowel placement (think Marian). There’s not really any nicknames for my names that I like, since most of the nicknames for [name_f]Mary[/name_f] like [name_f]Mimi[/name_f], [name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_f]Mitzi[/name_f] are pretty cutesy (Mae and [name_f]Ree[/name_f] are probably the best, but neither of them feel like “real names” to me) and my middle name isn’t something I could go by.
I already feel like a name change could be seen as pretentious, so I want something that starts with the [name_f]Mary[/name_f] sound to make it not too dissimilar. I’m considering Maren/Marin, [name_f]Maris[/name_f] or Maryse/Marise. I like [name_f]Maren[/name_f] and [name_f]Maris[/name_f], but I’m worried about people pronouncing them as Marr-en/Marr-iss (like car) instead of Mare-en/Mare-is (like Paris) and being right back where I started with correcting people. That leaves [name_f]Maryse[/name_f], which to me seems like the most straightforward pronunciation (Mare-reese), but I’m not sure if there are other common ways it’s read or if it’s too close to [name_u]Marie[/name_u]. I’m also not sure if it’s too French-sounding, since although my family is [name_u]French[/name_u] my last name is very English/Irish.
Is [name_f]Maryse[/name_f] clear enough to avoid constant correction, or am I jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire? Are there other uncommon but not unrecognizable [name_u]Mar[/name_u]- names you’d suggest? I’ve already ruled out [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] for being a little too informal, Marielle/Mariette for sounding like Muriel/Marionette, [name_u]Marian[/name_u] because although I love classic names it seems dated, and Marisol/Mariana because they feel very Spanish to me. I like [name_f]Miriam[/name_f], but I’m also not Jewish and I think it seems too religious.
I’ve only ever heard of [name_f]Maren[/name_f] as mare-in so I think you could go with that. and I do think [name_f]Maryse[/name_f] would need a ton of corrections, unfortunately.
I know [name_u]Marion[/name_u] is vintage, but I think it’s lovely and classic. That would be my choice!
I like [name_f]Maryse[/name_f], but I think it still might confuse people - the [name_u]French[/name_u] pronunciation is like Ma-reez, but I could see it getting your pronunciation too. I’d suggest checking with the people around you - show them the name and ask how they’d say it, just to gage how people where you are would say it.
I like [name_f]Maren[/name_f] - and I’ve mostly heard it said mare-un Could [name_u]Maria[/name_u] work if you like it?
I would pronounce [name_f]Maryse[/name_f] closer to [name_u]Marie[/name_u] than [name_f]Mary[/name_f] (ma-REESE, similar to Elise). I don’t think that’s the best option if the main motivation for changing your name would be to have a simpler pronunciation than you do currently. [name_f]Maren[/name_f] would be simpler than [name_f]Maryse[/name_f].
I think that adding a hyphen to you current double name could be enough to avoid the pronunciation problems, if you’d like to keep your current name.
Thanks for the input, that pronunciation makes sense! [name_f]My[/name_f] name actually already has a hyphen lol, but it does surprisingly little to convince people that the second half isn’t my middle name. [name_f]Maren[/name_f] or [name_u]Marion[/name_u] are looking like the easiest options, I’m just not in love with either of them for myself so I’m not sure it’s worth the hassle of changing it, but I appreciate the feedback!
I agree, [name_f]Mary[/name_f] is a lovely name! It just doesn’t feel like it describes me, especially since I’m used to having something more uncommon. Mairin is so pretty - I love [name_u]Irish[/name_u] names but worry about the pronunciation aspect. That is how I would want [name_f]Maren[/name_f] to be said though, and I prefer that spelling. [name_f]Mairead[/name_f] (rhymes with parade) is an all time favourite name of mine that I would pick in a heartbeat if I wouldn’t have to correct everyone I meet. [name_f]Marianne[/name_f] or [name_f]Marianna[/name_f] are good ideas though, especially since my current name sounds very similar! [name_f]My[/name_f] only hesitation is whether they would be heard as [name_f]Mary[/name_f] Anne/Mary [name_f]Anna[/name_f]
Makes sense, thanks for the input! Seems like [name_f]Maren[/name_f] is a top choice which I understand. I like [name_u]Maria[/name_u] as a name but don’t connect with it unfortunately
[name_f]Maryse[/name_f] is more confusing than your given name. I kept seeing something I would pronounce as [name_f]Marcie[/name_f] to begin with before I really parsed it out.
Yes I remembered [name_u]Meredith[/name_u] last night and I think it’s my favourite! It strikes that balance of recognizable and familiar but slightly uncommon which I really like. And my parents who put the hyphen in specifically to make it clear that both names were my first name are just as confused as you lol
I really like the name [name_f]Mara[/name_f]
[name_f]Marsaili[/name_f] is pretty but probably too unknown if you don’t want people asking how to pronounce it.
I also really think [name_f]Mary[/name_f] is classic and pretty and I love the name [name_f]Maren[/name_f] too.
[name_u]Morgan[/name_u]
[name_f]Mildred[/name_f]
[name_f]Maudie[/name_f]
[name_f]Maude[/name_f]
[name_f]Margo[/name_f], [name_f]Margot[/name_f], [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]
[name_f]Rosemary[/name_f]
[name_f]Minerva[/name_f]
[name_f]Marcella[/name_f]
[name_f]Merewen[/name_f]
[name_m]Merrion[/name_m]
[name_m]Marceli[/name_m]
[name_f]Marina[/name_f]
[name_f]Manon[/name_f] - I think diminutive of [name_u]Marie[/name_u] in [name_u]French[/name_u]?
[name_f]Mona[/name_f]
[name_f]Mira[/name_f], [name_f]Mirabelle[/name_f]
[name_f]Meg[/name_f]
Could [name_u]Maria[/name_u] work if you like it?