What is the correct way to spell this name? - Greek people help please or anyone :)

Girl Names
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Does anyone know, maybe someone who knows Greek?

I know that the Greek way is Ζωή

Now if you translate this is there a rule that it needs a diaeresis?

Should it be Zoe or should it be Zoë?

Thanks!

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Not Greek and I’m not sure what the official rubric would be around translation, but diaereses simply indicate that the letter is its own syllable, so I wouldn’t say it’s strictly necessary (I like both options!) :smiling_face:

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I would most likely spell it Zoi as a Greek but I think [name_u]Zoe[/name_u] works just as well.

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I know a Greek girl with this name who spells it [name_f]Zoie[/name_f]! She says that’s the Greek way. :smiling_face:

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just tagging @tallemaja just in case she can be of any assistance/add any input! :black_heart:

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Greek person here! As far as I’m aware, there’s no official rule, but when a Ζωή gets a European passport they’ll ‘translate’ it (I can’t think of the word right now) as [name_u]Zoe[/name_u], not [name_f]Zoë[/name_f]. So [name_u]Zoe[/name_u] is the closest to an ‘official’ Latin spelling that you’ll get. I don’t think the average Greek person would use the [name_f]Zoë[/name_f] spelling when trying to spell their name in the Latin alphabet!

[name_f]Bellerose[/name_f] suggested Zoi, but to me that one feels less ‘correct’, because the letter η typically translates to e in [name_f]English[/name_f] (e.g., [name_f]Penelope[/name_f] being Πηνελόπη in Greek), while you’d get the letter i from the Greek letter ι instead (e.g., [name_f]Iris[/name_f] being Ίρις in Greek), and Zωή is spelled with an η, not an ι.

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Thank you! Is [name_u]Zoe[/name_u] in Greek said the same way as in [name_f]English[/name_f]?

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Not quite! It’s closer to zaw-EE!

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Transcribe is the word you’re looking for :blush:

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