Help me pick a spelling, please! :)

Boy Names
1

I have finally chosen a name for my son, due [name_f]April[/name_f] 2017. I just cannot commit to a spelling that I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u].

  1. [name_u]Reece[/name_u]
    -my first choice of the 3. I feel like [name_u]Reese[/name_u] is more feminine, so I do not want to use it with an S.

  2. [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]
    -honestly, I don’t like this at ALL. I know it is the more traditional spelling, and it really is a beautiful- looking name. BUT - I do not want him to have to correct people all the time. And unfortunately, unless people are familiar with the name/spelling, no one pronounces it correctly. I wrote it down and asked around, and 95% of people said “Rise”.

  3. Riece

    • I made this up. It’s really not that “out there”, as all I did was change one letter, but is it awful? I asked on another mom/name page and people were super rude about it. I ended up deleting my post lol. I do want honest opinions, but they don’t have to be offensive!

What does anyone think?

ALSO - as a second part of your answer, would you mind sharing where you live (U.S. state or country is fine, as I just want a general idea), and then how popular/unpopular this name is where you live.

Thanks!

2

I am in a very multicultural city in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] and have never heard it pronounced like [name_u]Rice[/name_u]. Maybe this is because in a multicultural city you learn not to assume anything, or maybe because we are closer to the UK when it comes to linguistics. My honest opinion:

  1. [name_u]Reece[/name_u]'s Pieces
  2. Correct
  3. Made up. I don’t see the point of this since he will have to correct it all the time, so might as well go with [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] or [name_u]Reece[/name_u].
3

Go with [name_u]Reece[/name_u] if it’s what you like best! I prefer [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] but I see what you mean about running into pronunciation issues. He might have to spell out [name_u]Reece[/name_u] too but people will know how to pronounce it. I’m from the US (PNW). I haven’t heard this name at all actually around here.

4

The candy is spelled [name_u]Reese[/name_u]'s, not [name_u]Reece[/name_u]'s.

5

I stand corrected :slight_smile:

6

I prefer [name_u]Rhys[/name_u].

7

:):slight_smile: middle name with [name_u]Reece[/name_u]??

8

I like [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]! Im in the US. Not a fan of the third option.

9

I like [name_u]Reece[/name_u] best for a boy, and [name_u]Reese[/name_u] for a girl. That’s probably biased because I’ve met people with those names, but it just seems right to me. [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] also looks like Rise to me, and Riece just seems a little off, plus he’ll probably always have to correct the spelling. I’m from [name_u]California[/name_u].

10

I prefer [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]. To me, it is the most masculine. If you are concerned about spelling/pronunciation, [name_u]Reece[/name_u] is an understandable choice. For this reason, I would avoid a made up spelling.

I live in [name_f]Canada[/name_f], near Toronto.

11

I’m in the Southern [name_u]West[/name_u] Coast of the United States, and my favorite is [name_u]Rhys[/name_u]. Since you don’t seem to like [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], I would go with [name_u]Reece[/name_u]. A made up spelling will just make it more confusing.

12

So, I’m biased. [name_u]Reese[/name_u] was my grandfather’s and great-grandfather’s name. Besides [name_u]Rhys[/name_u], the others just look like misspellings to me. I would have loved to use [name_u]Reese[/name_u] in my son’s name, but our surname makes it sound like candy.

P.S.
I live in the US Southwest and am originally from the Midwest.

13

I live in Oregon, and almost every boy I’ve ever met with this name was [name_u]Reece[/name_u]. I’ve met one Riece, and 0 boys named [name_u]Rhys[/name_u].

14
  1. [name_u]Reece[/name_u] - I don’t love the look of this one, and worse yet I definitely would need to be told how to spell it. But to me [name_u]Reece[/name_u]/[name_u]Reese[/name_u]/etc is just one of those names that has a bunch of different standard spellings, just like [name_f]Katelyn[/name_f]/[name_f]Caitlin[/name_f]/[name_f]Kaitlin[/name_f]/etc. It doesn’t seem like you are trying to be “yoo-neek” or anything if you pick [name_u]Reece[/name_u].
  2. [name_u]Rhys[/name_u] - I do like this one best but I think it is because it is apparently Welsh and I’m just imagining a bunch of cool Welsh kids living out in the country. But, it sounds like you clearly dislike this spelling so I wouldn’t consider it any longer. Pronunciation and spelling really are an annoying thing. My last name is a traditional Irish phonetic last name and people give me grief every time I say it! Almost as if they don’t believe me that it is pronounced that way and I’m just putting on airs.
  3. Riece - This is horrible and I am personally offended that you are considering it! Also that makes me dislike you! Haha just kidding. I feel like that is almost the reaction sometimes on name forums though lol. Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend this name. Since I have never seen it before if I saw this name on the foster for the [name_f]Sunday[/name_f] school class I used to teach, I would’ve gone with the old “pronounce it like it’s Spanish just in case” method and guessed [name_f]Ree[/name_f]-eh-say.

All in all, go with [name_u]Reece[/name_u]! It sounds like you like it and your child won’t be constantly reminded of how illiterate everyone is when he tries to say or spell his name. Also, I’m from [name_f]Alabama[/name_f] (USA) and I’ve never met anyone named [name_u]Reece[/name_u]/[name_u]Rhys[/name_u]/Riece/[name_u]Reese[/name_u], even as a preschool teacher as mentioned.