I would put up a poll, but I don’t want to influence anyone’s first thoughts. Upon seeing the name [name]Sylvain[/name], how would you assume it’s pronounced?
My good friend is married to a [name]Sylvain[/name] (very handsome guy too 
) and it is pronouced syl-VAHN, so that is how I would pronounce it!
Sihl-vahn.
It’s difficult to describe, but “vain” pronounced as the french “vendredi”.
Yes! Exactly! I struggled with writing out the pronunciation. It’s [name]VAN[/name] with a french accent. lol.
I am french and it is pronounced like [name]Sil[/name]-vein, but the n is silent. It is hard to explain how to pronounce it properly unless you actually speak french.
Yeah, the “n” would be silent in french, but English speakers pronounce “vein” as “vayne” or “vain.” In French, [name]Sylvain[/name] would more accurately be “[name]Seel[/name]-VAUH,” right?
The “n” is mostly silent. Like [name]Sil[/name]-veh with the slightest hint of a “n” at the end. Try this link:
http://www.dictionarist.com/sylvain
No. As the others have said, it’s more like Vehn but with an almost silent (almost imperceptible) n.
Okay yeah, “Vehn” is a better description of the sound I was thinking of. Not the long “ah” sound my description made it out to be. Thanks.
I say it as: sill-vain (like the word, vain)
This is how I say it. It’s on my list
[name]Glad[/name] to see most people are on the same page as me here!
[name]Sylvain[/name] = sil-vehn (silent n)
[name]Sylvan[/name] = sil-vahn (silent n)
I would go with the French pronunciation, [name]Sill[/name]-VANH, where the last syllable sort of rhymes with can. “Ain” in French is pronounced with a short “a” sound followed by a muted “n” as in “main”, “maintenant”, or “[name]Alain[/name]”