Mathieu

dootz8 · November 2011

Please tell me it will be okay to spell Mathieu this way (pronounced Matthew). My husband is french, and it's really important to him that it's spelled this way. Please make me feel better about the spelling. I like it, just worried about it getting butchered here in the states.

selder25 · November 2011

Before you said how to pronounce it I had no idea what the name was. I personally don't like the spelling because it will get butchered. Matthew is such a classic name and I think it would be a mistake to change the spelling. JMO. It's more important that you like it and not what everyone else thinks.

Moneypenny424 · November 2011

I love that you are spelling it the French way! You may have to tell people how to pronounce it, but names from other languages are always 100% legitimate in my book. Good choice!

brooklynesque · November 2011

I think that's totally fine, if you don't mind francophones pronouncing it the French way when they first see it.

Keri Marie · November 2011

I'm French and prefer that spelling too.

emschott · November 2011

SandAndsSea:
selder25:
Before you said how to pronounce it I had no idea what the name was. I personally don't like the spelling because it will get butchered. Matthew is such a classic name and I think it would be a mistake to change the spelling. JMO. It's more important that you like it and not what everyone else thinks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_(name)

If I'm not mistaken, it's not changing how it is spelled...it's just the name Matthew in a different language..... Like Mateo is Spanish, Matteo is Italian, etc.

SandAndSea is right- OP is not changing the spelling. OP, I like it. As a French speaker, I wouldn't pronounce it Matthew, but you can let people know how you want it pronounced. I only wish I could get DH on board with some French names! (Not that I'm French, there are just some beautiful French names!)

treble_clef · November 2011

It's cultural. Good name:)

dootz8 · November 2011

Mathieu is the french spelling of Matthew because DH is french. He didn't come to the states until he was in his early twenties, and all of my in-laws and their families are still there.

And yes, DH's pronunciation rhymes with 'Achoo!" It makes me smile when he says it

Thank you all for the feedback! I do love the name, just don't want to make life harder for my little man than it has to be.

Our last name is french and starts with M, and I think they go well together...just wanted some outside opinions.

NDA2011 · November 2011

It's fine!

seven8nine · November 2011

I have agree this might be hard here in the US. Of course, if someone is just asking what your child's name is, they will never know it wasn't spelled Matthew unless you tell them.

Love Mateo btw!

KaliChick · November 2011

I knew immediately what it was and why it was spelled that way. My husband is in the hockey business and there are several Mathieu's that play hockey (most are French Canadian).

I think it's fine and has a perfect explanation. It's not like you're making up the spelling or have no heritage to it.

ObLaDi · November 2011

I actually really like it! I don't care for Matthew at all, but somehow Frenchifying it (especially if it's legit cultural for your family) gives it a lot more pizzazz.

AlphabetFish · November 2011

Yes, people will screw up the spelling and (if they're just reading it) the pronunciation CONSTANTLY, if the Americans I have met are any proof.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't still go with this name. Your son could always go by Matt to make things easier for people. (One thing--I've only ever heard it pronounced "ma-TYU," as French doesn't have the "th" sound that you hear in Matthew. I find it odd to pronounce them as though they are the same.)

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