I’m seeing a lot of conflicting information, but it seems the correct pronunciations contenders are:
[name_f]Ianthe[/name_f]: ee-AHN-tee, ee-AHN-thee
Aneira: uh-NAY-ruh (nay like [name_f]May[/name_f]), uh-NAIR-uh
Greek and Welsh name experts, is that right?
I was exposed to both of these names with what seem to be incorrect pronunciations (eye-[name_f]ANN[/name_f]-thee and uh-NEYE-ruh) and they went on our list as pathways to the nickname [name_f]Aya[/name_f] (or Aia/Ia/Eia). I grew up with a name that my parents unknowingly mispronounced, so I occasionally have people point it out to me. It’s irritating and mildly embarrassing, so it’s a naming pet peeve of mine and I’m making every attempt to use only correct pronunciations for our kid!
I pronounce [name_f]Ianthe[/name_f] as ee-AHN-thee. No idea on Aneira though.
Thanks, bellerose! I suppose this is one of the downsides of liking more obscure names.
My parents did the same thing for my youngest sister (they pronounced -th in her name as -th, like the/them… instead of the “correct” way which was just a -t sound like tea/time…) but we like the way we say it, we think it sounds much nicer actually! For us it’s not that big of an issue, because her name is spelled with the -th in it anyways. If anyone says anything we just tell them that’s how we pronounce it. Everyone who hears her name always comments on how beautiful it is!
I think if you love the way a name sounds, even if it’s not “supposed” to be said that way it’s not the end of the world. Sometimes you can find alternate spellings to make it sound the way you like too.
I actually think Aneira is Uh-nye-rah, It’s ‘An’ meaning ‘my/our’ and [name_f]Eira[/name_f] (Eye-ra) meaning ‘[name_f]Snow[/name_f]’.
Actually I think the “-the” part of [name_f]Ianthe[/name_f] is neither -tee not -thee, it’s -teh.
There might be several correct pronounciations though, depending on language.