Initially we were going for just Thea from Althea which sounds more modern and sweet
Then, I found that the correct pronunciation for the intended meaning in Greek (goddess) is Teh-a. Thea (anglicised version) would generally be pronounced as Thee-a, which means aunt in Greek. In Greek language Theá is actually pronounced as Teh-a. Because of this and two versions of pronunciation, I’m slightly annoyed. Or I’m just overthinking.
I still think Althea is a beautiful name, just that it’s a bit mouthful. I know it still carries the Thea , but I’m more ok with it as a full name
I have a Greek friend living in the US who called her daughter [name_f]Thea[/name_f] so I think it cannot be that shocking
I love [name_f]Althea[/name_f], it’s beautiful and strong
[name_f]Thea[/name_f] is one of my favorite names of all time, but this little annoying tidbit bothers me, too, even though, I know the majority of people would never know or care.
I prefer [name_f]Thea[/name_f] (thee-a) to [name_f]Althea[/name_f] and would run the risk and ignore the annoyance if I pulled the trigger, so I’m no help. Unless it helps you to know that I met my long-lost cousin years ago and she had a tattoo and dog named [name_f]Althea[/name_f], which baffled us because I adored the name [name_f]Thea[/name_f] and had named a cat [name_f]Thea[/name_f] since I was done having kids. She got the tattoo and named the dog after the Grateful Dead song.
Hmm, I guess this all depends on where you are, which pronunciation you want or are happiest with, and if you’re around a lot of Greek speaking people.
All the Theas I’ve so far met have been thee-uh, but if I was corrected to use Teh-uh, I don’t think that’s tricky. As for [name_f]Althea[/name_f], it doesn’t strike me as a mouthful - it’s only three syllables, and the sounds are all familiar - it has a beautiful meaning and look too It’s a great choice
Greek person here! It’s actually theh-ah, not teh-ah! So like Thea with an “eh” E sound instead of an “ee” E sound. That said, I wouldn’t be weirded out by someone using the Anglicized pronunciation! That’s an extremely common practice; popular girl names in America like Penelope and Athena are all pronounced the English way too!
I personally do dislike Thea because of it meaning aunt, it’s just an association I’d never be able to unsee. But I don’t think that should matter to you, unless you live in a community with a lot of Greek folks!
Basically, I think your concerns don’t have to be a problem. Althea is a beautiful name (and I don’t think that it’s a mouthful at all) regardless of pronunciation and the nickname is fine! I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with using Thea on its own, again regardless of pronunciation, unless you happen to be around many Greeks.
[name_f]Thea[/name_f] (as THEE-uh) can just as well be a nickname for [name_f]Theodosia[/name_f], [name_f]Dorothy[/name_f], [name_f]Theodora[/name_f], or [name_f]Dorothea[/name_f], all of which pronounce the TH, none of which mean ‘aunt.’
[name_f]Thea[/name_f] on its own and as a nickname—with your initial pronunciation—is an absolutely beautiful pick! And I think [name_f]Althea[/name_f] is a very special and spirited full name. [name_f]Thea[/name_f] makes he perfect nickname for her.
(And, I hope it’s a little consolation that I know a young [name_f]Alethea[/name_f], which is uh-LEE-thee-uh, even more a cumbersome one to say than [name_f]Althea[/name_f] …who still wears her name delightfully. )
It’s a great choice
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