How to spell this name?? Rollie or Rowley

roundthree24

My grandfather's name was Rollie...pronounced like Ollie with an R. My husband is afraid people will read it as roll-y, like rolling a ball.

We can't figure out the origin of my grandfather's name but my mom did some research and thinks its derived from Rowley (a last name). So that's another spelling option but I'm afraid people will read it as r-OW-lee.

We won't be using Raleigh or any other spelling because these two spellings are more closely linked to our family, if that makes sense?

Which spelling should we go with?? Thank you!!

fghmama6701

Not a fan... but it's Raleigh

Shima42

Every name gets mispronounced, misspelled, and made fun of by small-minded, boring people.  If you want to honor your grandfather, I think that his spelling is actually the most likely to be remembered and pronounced correctly.  At any rate, it's an excellent name for a young boy or an aged congressman.

jessielynn1

Shima42 said:

Every name gets mispronounced, misspelled, and made fun of by small-minded, boring people.  If you want to honor your grandfather, I think that his spelling is actually the most likely to be remembered and pronounced correctly.  At any rate, it's an excellent name for a young boy or an aged congressman.

Nope that's not how that works. 

OP I'd go with Rollie. I think you will need to correct people but to get the Ollie sound Rowley seems like more of stretch. 

nurse714

Definitely Rowley.

Bringmemylongswordho

Oh this is happening again? 

I voted Rowley,  because Rollie will forever be Rollie Pollie.

bbiutmcph

Rowley. its a surname I knew several of growing up with and it's very awkward as a first name since its so surnamey but ditto Rollie Pollie.

KaLikeAWind

This was tough, but I think roll-y when I see Rollie. Voted Rowley, which my mind wants to 'hear' like this


But I can 'hear' the 'Ollie' sound if I consider a regional accent. It's easier for my mind to hear R-Ollie with the Rowley spelling

SmrBrd2012

My great grandfather was named Rollie as well. I'd middle name ito to avoid the issue. I wouldn't change it to Rowley because it sounds different. 

suz712

My friend's last name is Rowley, and it isn't pronounced like Ollie. It is "row" like a when you get into fight (not like row row row your boat). So you hear the W sound. 

If if you'd want to avoid mispronunciation I'd try Raleigh because that's a familiar name (due to it being a city). Rollie seems most similar to me. I wouldn't say Roly (like Roly Poly) since it would have a double consonant, giving th prior vowel a short sound like in "Ollie."

delujm0

If you want to honor your grandfather, I'd use his actual spelling...yeah you might have to correct people but that's life.  Fwiw, I thought it rhymed with Ollie immediately.
 
If it were me, I'd MN it though because that would be easier.

klirwin82

How about naming LO Roland and then just using Rollie as the nn? Then you don't need to worry about official spelling on the birth certificate and LO has a more formal name to use if he chooses?

virginiaunicorn11

delujm0 said:

If you want to honor your grandfather, I'd use his actual spelling...yeah you might have to correct people but that's life.  Fwiw, I thought it rhymed with Ollie immediately.
 
If it were me, I'd MN it though because that would be easier.

This. I think all the spellings you proposed will cause confusion anyway, so just use the "original." And have a plan for easily telling people how to pronounce it - e.g., "like the city, Raleigh." 

cgss11

I had a great grandfather Rollie, so I'm used to that with the correct pronunciation. I would go with that.

catmommac

Go with Rollie to honor family. He may get a few mispronounciations during an introduction, but it's easily remedied with a smile and "Rollie like the city" or "it rhymes with Ollie". My DH is Colby and people frequently mishear "Kobe" so he frequently says, "Colby, like the cheese!" People laugh and don't forget it. I think this is the same kinda idea.

[Deleted User]

I would say Rollie like Roll-y and I would say Rowlie like r-OW-ly.  And everyone else will too.  The only way I would say it the way you want would be to name your child Raleigh which is ... let's face it... weird.

Middle name Rollie if you really want to use that name.  Otherwise your kid is doomed to a life of constantly correcting people, or eventually giving up and just going by something else.

ecwk

Shima42 said:

Every name gets mispronounced, misspelled, and made fun of by small-minded, boring people.  

Wut? 

OP I immediately read it as Roll-y. I think you'll forever be correcting people. If it were me, I'd middle name it. 

CaboBride2015

I would MN it. This sounds like a pain for your kid.

HoosOnFirst

Since Ollie is a name, I immediately thought to pronounce Rollie exactly as you intend, fwiw.

KaLikeAWind

Despite what I said above, when I think about this randomly, I've come around to what other posters have said about spelling it like it was originally spelled. You can correct pronunciation easily enough. Most people are going to hear the name before seeing it spelled out, anyway. 

oneblessedmess

Having never seen this name spelled any way besides Raleigh, when I read your title I pronounced Rollie like Ollie with an R, and I pronounced Rowley to rhyme with lowly (the same pronunciation you're trying to avoid). Because of the W in Rowley it doesn't really make sense for the pronunciation you are trying to achieve. Most people will either think Row like row your boat, or Row like rhymes with wow.

I think either way you will have some confusion so honestly I would just spell it the way your grandfather did and be prepared to correct people.

kmvisioli

Go with Rollie to honor your family member. That said, I would mn it. Rowley seems like it would rhyme with "Wow-lee" to me.