I chose the name [name_f]Cassia[/name_f] for my little girl, and I love it, but… I chose it before I knew that the correct pronunciation of the cassia tree, which she’s named after, is “[name_m]CASH[/name_m]-uh”, which I don’t like. (I know, I wish I’d done more research!) I call her “[name_u]CASS[/name_u]-ee-uh.”
There is also a [name_m]Saint[/name_m] [name_f]Kassia[/name_f], and I think her name is pronounced “[name_u]CASS[/name_u]-yuh” or “[name_m]CASH[/name_m]-yuh”. And people say “cass-I-uh” or “cass-EE-uh” somewhat frequently as well.
So, now that she has this name…
[name_m]How[/name_m] do I explain it? I usually say, she’s named after the “[name_m]CASH[/name_m]-uh” tree, but we call her “[name_u]CASS[/name_u]-ee-uh”…
[name_f]Do[/name_f] I use a nickname? DH sometimes calls her [name_u]Cass[/name_u], and [name_f]MIL[/name_f] calls her [name_f]Cassie[/name_f]. I open to creative nicknames, but given [name_u]Cass[/name_u], [name_f]Cassie[/name_f], or [name_f]Cassia[/name_f], I prefer [name_f]Cassia[/name_f]
I don’t like the cash-uh pronunciation and instinctively pronounce it cass-ee-uh, which I adore. [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] is a cute nickname for [name_f]Cassia[/name_f], but I do love [name_f]Cassia[/name_f] as a full because it’s so pretty. You don’t have to explain the reasons behind your daughter’s name if you’re not comfortable with them knowing the pronunciation issues when it comes to the cassia tree, you can just say because you saw it somewhere and loved it. If they do bring up the cassia tree, then you can mention that cash-uh and cass-ee-uh are both acceptable pronunciations of [name_f]Cassia[/name_f]. Like @babynameaholic said, cash-uh also seems incomplete.
When someone says [name_m]Cash[/name_m] uh, I would just politely say “oh, it actually [name_u]Cass[/name_u] ee uh”. People will eventually get the hang of it.
When reading it I pronounced it correctly, that’s how I assumed it was pronounced. I don’t think you need to explain where she got the name, just correct people when they say it wrong. It makes me think of the constellation [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f], so maybe attributing it to that or something with similar sounds that people may know might help. “It’s [name_f]Cassia[/name_f], kind of like [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f]. (or insert something else that people may be more familiar with)”
I would think more people would say [name_u]CASS[/name_u]-ee-uh than [name_m]CASH[/name_m]-uh, since it’s the phonetic pronunciation. And because [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] is quite familiar. I wouldn’t mention the tree at all when talking pronunciation, since it conflicts (unless you’re in a deeper conversation with someone re meaning/origin). I’d actually never even heard of the cassia tree before coming across the name [name_f]Cassia[/name_f].
This may or may not be along the lines of what you’re thinking, but you could say [name_f]Cassia[/name_f], like cassio (keyboard) but with an a…?
I actually usually say CAH-shuh as opposed to [name_m]CASH[/name_m]-uh or [name_u]CASS[/name_u]-ee-uh, but love the name either way!!
I’m fairly certain [name_m]CASH[/name_m]-uh and [name_u]CASS[/name_u]-ee-uh are both correct, the same way that [name_f]Lucia[/name_f] can be LOO-see-uh or LOO-shah. I don’t think you’re mispronouncing anything.
I’ve heard people use nonsense phrases that the name rhymes with to explain them to people. “It’s [name_f]Cassia[/name_f], it rhymes with ‘pass me a’ (item)”?
For years I assumed this was pronounced [name_u]CASS[/name_u]-ee-ah and loved it, and was so disappointed to hear that [name_m]CASH[/name_m]-uh is how it goes, but as others said it always struck me as a name with two acceptable pronunciations, I think it’s just that most people haven’t heard it before. It’s so pretty.
[name_m]Cash[/name_m]-uh is lovely; [name_u]Cass[/name_u]-ee-uh sounds like a [name_u]Brit[/name_u] trying to create syllables where none exist (like the way they say jag-oo-ar for jaguar). But stick with what you like and correct people until [name_f]Cassia[/name_f] is old enough to decide.
It’s always [name_u]Cass[/name_u]-ee-uh for me and I think both pronunciations are correct. And I agree with @meyera4, it reminds me to [name_f]Cassiopeia[/name_f] too.
