Spelling Poll

alliejo725

Just wanting your thoughts on what you think is the best way to spell this name given the situation. You're welcome to give opinions on the name, but I'm not really looking for them (I doubt they've changed much since the last time this name was brought up; that's why I don't ask).

 The name is Bevin/B?binn (BAY-vin). The goal is to call phantom/future DD Bay, but Bay on its own doesn't work with our LN, so I've been looking for possible full names she could use formally. She would be called Bay 99% of the time, and then in situations requiring her first and last name, she'd have a full name to fall back on.

I like Bevin because it's anglocized, and while the pronunciation isn't totally intuitive, it's teachable. I dislike it because my husband's name is Kevin.

I like B?binn because it's the original form of the name and is always pronounced BAY-vin. It's also not my husband's name with a B. I dislike it because I think using Irish/Gaelic/Welsh spellings outside of the UK (with some exceptions) is just not a good idea.

 There's also B?bhionn and B?ibhinn, but B?binn is by far the least messy.

Again, in either case, the full name will be rarely used. (Another option I'm trying to get DH on board with is Bayard as a middle name, and calling her Bay, but he likes Bevin/B?binn much better.)

[Poll]

femmepink

From those spellings I would NEVER get "Bay-vin".

Bevin makes me say "Bev-in" like Kevin and the others I would butcher horribly.

cheese.fiend

I voted Bebinn... I would say "Beh-vin" with Bevin.  I do speak Spanish fluently so that might affect my decision as I would just instinctively read the accent mark and say Bay-vin.

Question... If her nickname is Bay, do you envision her writing "Bay" on the top of her school papers?  Or would it be more of a verbally spoken nickname?  I ask b/c I've always gone by a NN and always just requested that teachers change my formal name to my NN on their rolls on the first day of school.  On resumes and such, I've always listed myself as... Formal First Name (NN) Middle-Name Surname.  With that format, I've rarely been called by my full name in an interview! Even my business cards have my NN on them instead of my formal name. 

msmerymac

I actually kind of like that Bevin is similar to your husband's name because it gives the name an additional family connection. Without that, I probably wouldn't be in favor of Bevin.

BFab11

I voted B?binn, the accent brings me to "bay".  Bevin I'd pronounce like Kevin.  Unless perhaps you did B?vin?  

Have you considered Bailey?  It would be more familiar for people and the "Bay" NN would be super obvious. 

alliejo725

cheese.fiend:

I voted Bebinn... I would say "Beh-vin" with Bevin.  I do speak Spanish fluently so that might affect my decision as I would just instinctively read the accent mark and say Bay-vin.

Question... If her nickname is Bay, do you envision her writing "Bay" on the top of her school papers?  Or would it be more of a verbally spoken nickname?  I ask b/c I've always gone by a NN and always just requested that teachers change my formal name to my NN on their rolls on the first day of school.  On resumes and such, I've always listed myself as... Formal First Name (NN) Middle-Name Surname.  With that format, I've rarely been called by my full name in an interview! Even my business cards have my NN on them instead of my formal name. 

Yes! I really appreciate hearing your perspective on that, too. We'd like her to be Bay (almost) all the time, it's just that troublesome last name of ours that's got me searching for a formal option.

alliejo725

BFab11:

I voted B?binn, the accent brings me to "bay".  Bevin I'd pronounce like Kevin.  Unless perhaps you did B?vin?  

Have you considered Bailey?  It would be more familiar for people and the "Bay" NN would be super obvious. 

I have a cousin named Bailey, but thanks for the suggestion!

Ivana_Stolichnaya

B?binn looks like it's pronounced 'Bay-Bin' to me.  She will have a horrible time correcting people left and right...just keep that in mind.

If you want it pronounced with a 'V' then use the V, stay away from B.  There are a lot of people out there like myself who are unfamiliar with names like this and will unknowingly mutilate it.

TBsquared

I believe Bevin is a name from One Tree Hill (for a girl) and I like it, but if your DH's name is Kevin thats nerdy so dont do Bevin. As for the others, they are all not my cup of tea and I couldnt even choose but I will just say dont do Bevin.

MelodyKate

What about going halvsies and doing Bevin with an accent on the e (that won't work on my work computer)? That way, it is spellable, but gives people a hint that it is not pronounced Kevin with a B.

brookelynpaisley

I see you're pronouncing is Bay-vin, but the only Bevin's I've ever known (2 of them) pronounced it "Bev-in" rhyming with Kevin. I kind of like Bevin, but I think you're going to be frustrated if you expect people to know to say Bay-vin.

brooklynesque

If you're going to anglicize it why not do so in a way that makes it more likely that people will pronounce it right?  Maybe Baevin?

That said, I prefer the original Irish spelling. Unless you're not of Irish heritage, in which case it seems kind of weird, IMO.

McGillicuddy13

BFab11:

I voted B?binn, the accent brings me to "bay".  Bevin I'd pronounce like Kevin.  Unless perhaps you did B?vin?  

I voted B?binn as well.

The formal name won't be used that often, so imo, it's not worth the watered-down Bevin spelling just to make it easier to pronounce (I'd pronounce this like "Kevin," anyway). Bevin teeters on made up and annoying, to me. B?binn is a cool, more authentic spelling, and anyone who's mildly familiar with Irish names will probably get the b/v thing. 

ljtvirkus

I think with any of those spelling options you will constantly be correcting people on how to pronounce the name correctly. With that said I think the "Bay-vin" is really pretty sounding.

anna7602

Because there's a poll in your post, now I can't see all of the possible spellings while I respond. So, about the one that looks kind of like this- Bibhan- why doesn't the end rhyme with the way I've been taught to pronounce Siobhan (van, not vin)? Now I'm not even sure if this is how it was spelled, though, *shakes fist at nest.*

Anyway, for whatever my opinion is worth, I think that if you're going to go with an "ethnic" name, you need to own the traditional spelling for it and not dumb it down just to make it easier for folks to pronounce it. If you're going to do that, then just move on and consider other names. So, I would go with the most traditional spelling. People will most likely pronounce Bevin to rhyme with Kevin anyway.

Smores730

Haven, Raven... Baven? or Baiven? Or what about the spanish name B?len "Bay Lynn"?

TripMomma

femmepink:

From those spellings I would NEVER get "Bay-vin".

Bevin makes me say "Bev-in" like Kevin and the others I would butcher horribly.

Ditto this. I 2nd the vote for Baevin...I would probably get "Bay-vin" from that.

melody921

OMG, my name is Bevin! I see there are a lot of opinions on this, but since I actually have lived with the name for 30 years, let me break it down for you, the good and the bad.

Let me start by saying I love my name. It is Gaelic and means "melodious lady." I have never met another person with this name, although on rare occasions I have encountered someone who told me they once knew another one. So it has the benefit of being different and memorable. There will not be a large group of Bevins in the same class at school.

On the down side, despite the fact that it is spelled similarly to Kevin and Devin, people are dumb and will still mess it up. I have been called EVERYTHING: Devin, Kevin, Beverly, Beeeevin, the list goes on. I've had people insist my mother made it up (she did not), that I must actually be a Beverly (separate name, people) or that I'm a guy (Bevan, which is also a surname is used for a guy; Bevin is not). When I explain it to people, I just say, it's like Kevin only with a "B" or I spell it for them: "B as in Bravo, etc.)

If you go with the name, do your child a favor, and use the anglicized Bevin and pronounce it like Kevin. When I first saw the Gaelic spelling, I thanked God my parents didn't name me that because I wouldn't have had a chance of people ever getting it right. I also am not a fan of "Bay." That would only work with the Irish spelling or a separate name. I might hesitate, in your case, since your husband's name is Kevin, but if you're not afraid of sounding too matchy, I say go for it.

My close friends and family call me Bev, but to everyone else in the workplace/world, I am Bevin, so you don't have to use a nn if you don't want.

Hope this was helpful. I just can't believe my name actually showed up on a board!

kerribear1717

I voted Bebinn because no matter what it's not going to be said how it looks with either spelling.  If it's a girl I think it's weird you have to say "it's like kevin only with a b".  And the DH Kevin is just too weird to me.  I think Bay would look better coming from Bebinn than Bevin as well.

Sorry forgot how to type the accents.

RoninSirPuppyPup

I think that no one is going to pronounce it correctly the first time no matter what. It's an easy name to pronounce, just not to read (if that makes sense).

I like Bevin (with ` above the e) or Bebinn. I do not like the two longer spellings they're just too much, and simply Bevin looks too made up. Be(`)vin and Bebinn look ethnic and real even though people won't know how to say it at first.

If you're ok with people having to be told how to spell and pronounce it the first time it's a GREAT name! I love Bay as a NN also. 

I hope you like my (`)  .

salt78

Option 2. I agree with others that "Bevin" looks like "Kevin" with a B.

RoninSirPuppyPup

Ok the more I think about this, the more I love it. I'm Irish and I think I'll be adding this to our name list.

anna7602

Smores730:

Haven, Raven... Baven? or Baiven? Or what about the spanish name B?len "Bay Lynn"?

I pronounce Belen (no accent mark on the first e) Beh-LEHN. I've never heard it pronounced the way you have it.

I think Belen would be an odd choice for a non-Spanish-speaking, non-Catholic person.