Spelling of the name "Owen"

mchelle123 · November 2011

Please help!

As a teacher, I know spelling it Owen would be the easiest, but I really would like something different!

Thanks!

[Poll]

FreyaWin2382 · November 2011

Please don't spell your child's name "Eoghan".

mchelle123 · November 2011

That's the majority of my family's thoughts.... even though I love that version! Wink

gisa886 · November 2011

Owen is our boys name. It will probably just be easier for him if you keep it as Owen so he isn't constantly correcting things

CarolynDouglas2012 · November 2011

Although Eoin is a new twist on things I have the feeling that people would constantly pronounce it Ew-in

EastCoastBride · November 2011

Remember, when it's spoken, it's all the same. And will your CHILD appreciate it being different and having to spell it ALL THE TIME?

honkytonk_kid · November 2011

I really think spelling it Eoghan is just as bad as something like Owyn. It sounds the same, and would just be confusing.

mchelle123 · November 2011

Owen comes from the name Eoghan (which the the first spelling of the name). It was translated to English as Owen.

I know a few people who spell their name Eoin and Eoghan, my husband's grandfather spelled it Eoghan.

emikat · November 2011

I would have mispronounced Eoghan as Eee - oh - gan. Sorry. Now, I know, but I don't think it's visually appealing. I would go with Owen. Make his life easier.

HannahO28 · November 2011

I'm not into gaelic spellings. I'm not confident that children would like to have names that are so difficult to pronounce for most people in the area in which they live.

slukd79 · November 2011

While they may be legit Gaelic spellings of the name, most people here do not know that. So it will get lumped in with the uniquely spelled children whether you want it to or not.

Personally I find it cruel to saddle a child with a name that will be butchered every first day of school, camp etc. I don't think the child will appreciate their name (despite the heritage) when they have to correct people from Day One.

(I admit that a couple of my name priorities is easy to say and easy to spell. So keep that in mind. It is a priority to me. It is not to others and I understand that.)

led2009 · November 2011

EastCoastBride:
Remember, when it's spoken, it's all the same. And will your CHILD appreciate it being different and having to spell it ALL THE TIME?

I always find this rediculous. My name is Laura and I have to spell it for people. No matter what name you pick, people will misspell it. I love the traditional Irish/ Gaelic spellings.

Kissimi21 · November 2011

Personally, I'd go with Owen.

To give you some perspective, my mother has a traditionally French spelled name Johanne. In English, Joanne. You wouldn't think a simple "H" would be a big deal, but she constantly has to correct people spelling her name Joanne or pronouncing her name as "Yo-Hanne" and thinking she is a he. My friend Kailagh constantly has to correct people who spell her name as Kayla. She has also been called "Kay-lag". It may seem like a nice idea to give a child a traditional but uncommon spelling, but that child is the one who will have to live with it for the rest of his/her life.

misskaydee · November 2011

slukd79:
While they may be legit Gaelic spellings of the name, most people here do not know that. So it will get lumped in with the uniquely spelled children whether you want it to or not.
Personally I find it cruel to saddle a child with a name that will be butchered every first day of school, camp etc. I don't think the child will appreciate their name (despite the heritage) when they have to correct people from Day One.
(I admit that a couple of my name priorities is easy to say and easy to spell. So keep that in mind. It is a priority to me. It is not to others and I understand that.)

THIS exactly, although it is a legitly spelled name, 90% of people who see it will probably side eye it thinking you wanted to get creative. I think I would resent my parents for giving me such a differently spelt name that sounds so common. If it were an uncommon name atleast people would ask how its spelt instead of assuming.

Laurakat81 · November 2011

mchelle123:
Owen comes from the name Eoghan (which the the first spelling of the name). It was translated to English as Owen.

I know a few people who spell their name Eoin and Eoghan, my husband's grandfather spelled it Eoghan.

At first my vote was for Owen. But seeing that baby's great grandfather spelled it Eoghan, I'm immediately drawn to that spelling now. Most people will butcher it. And thats annoying. My name is KathArine and no one ever spelled it right. And I go by my middle name but I've had to correct people my whole life and explain why it's Katharine spelled with "a" (after Katharine Hepburn) and why I didn't go by my first name Laura. Sure all the explanations got old but I also love my name.

I think the family aspect trumps it all personally. I vote Eoghan!

RedCardinal · November 2011

HannahO28:
I'm not into gaelic spellings. I'm not confident that children would like to have names that are so difficult to pronounce for most people in the area in which they live.

I agree with this. Would you name your child Ekwueme just because it's a legit spelling of a Southeastern Nigerian tribe in Africa ? I really like Owen although it is very popular. Most people around where I live probably wouldn't even know how to pronounce the gaelic versions.

tan110180 · November 2011

I have an Owen but he was going to be Eoin but we changed our mind in the operating room. I still have a tinge of regret inside for not sticking to Eoin. I think that it is a beautiful name. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Juicy71 · November 2011

led2009:

EastCoastBride:
Remember, when it's spoken, it's all the same. And will your CHILD appreciate it being different and having to spell it ALL THE TIME?

I always find this rediculous. My name is Laura and I have to spell it for people. No matter what name you pick, people will misspell it. I love the traditional Irish/ Gaelic spellings.

This. My name is Dawn and I always have to spell it, sometimes even have to explain how it's said as I get (mostly from East Coasters) "Is it Don (sort of pronounced like Dahn) or Dawwwwwn" (I can't even figure out how to explain this one but just think of Mike Meyer's coffee talk lady when you say it) when I pronounce it as if it's fawn or lawn.

MySallyGirl · November 2011

Kissimi21:
Personally, I'd go with Owen.

To give you some perspective, my mother has a traditionally French spelled name Johanne. In English, Joanne. You wouldn't think a simple "H" would be a big deal, but she constantly has to correct people spelling her name Joanne or pronouncing her name as "Yo-Hanne" and thinking she is a he. My friend Kailagh constantly has to correct people who spell her name as Kayla. She has also been called "Kay-lag". It may seem like a nice idea to give a child a traditional but uncommon spelling, but that child is the one who will have to live with it for the rest of his/her life.

I totally agree. Spell it Owen.