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BackseatDriver
member
Name pronunciations and regional dialects- Ginnifer Goodwin
BackseatDriver
member
in Baby Names
I read an article that Ginnifer Goodwin changed the spelling of her first name (Jennifer) to reflect the pronunciation of her name with their regional dialect. What are thoughts on this? Okay because she's a celeb? Never okay? If you pronounced your child's name differently because of a regional dialect would you consider spelling it more phonetically? Would you judge others who did this?
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Re: Name pronunciations and regional dialects- Ginnifer Goodwin
I'm a little unclear on what regions pronounce Jennifer as Ginnifer. Just curious.
I don't think I'd change my child's name spelling due to regional dialects, but I also have one of those "standard TV" dialects (or whatever it's called). I do think this happens though, like Mackynzie instead of Mackenzie (which are pronounced differently to me).
On a similar note, both DH and I like the name Ginny (HP lovers!) but it's crossed off our list because he doesn't pronounce it right. He says it the exact same way as Jenny. When I say each one to him so that he can hear the difference, he says he can barely tell the difference. Which is stupid, because he acknowledges that "Jen and Tonic" sounds different than "Gin and Tonic". Sigh. Silly husband.
I just want to give you a world as beautiful as you are to me.
Lots of southern people, myself included, pronounce Jennifer as Ginnifer or Jen as Gin. Ginnifer Goodwin is from Memphis, TN.
BFP on 1/1/11; pPROM at 19 weeks; Jameson Thomas born on 4/5/11 at 20 weeks.
Imagine a love so strong that saying hello and goodbye the same day was worth the sorrow.She is from TN.
On another national board there was a nestie who pronounces Kindle and Kendall the same way. I think she might have also been from TN.
Dec '12 & Jan '15
hah. I pronounce Kindle and Kendall the same, as well. I am also from Tennessee.
BFP on 1/1/11; pPROM at 19 weeks; Jameson Thomas born on 4/5/11 at 20 weeks.
Imagine a love so strong that saying hello and goodbye the same day was worth the sorrow.The vowel sound is the only thing changing So Jinnifer and Ginnifer sound the name. Makes the first syllable rhyme with pin rather than pen.
Dec '12 & Jan '15
There was already a Jennifer Goodwin and that is the real reason she changed it. She just happened to change it to Ginnifer because that's how they pronounced Jennifer in the South. Even in interviews with by co-stars, like when John Krasinski was interviewed about Something Borrowed, he called her Jenny and not Ginny.
Bump Burp
Me too! I guess Tennesseeans have a strong regional dialect. I also say Pen/Pin and Ben/Bin the same way. I think it's something about drawing out the vowels. I had a girl at church introduce herself as "Molly" and it took me a REALLY long time to figure our she was saying "Miley".
I think it's stupid that she changed her name because of the way people pronounce it.. just my opinion.
Oh my god, this is hilarious and totally true. Go Ginnifer. I'm a Ginny that's originally from Tennessee, but now I live in Connecticut. Across the country, I've gotten everything from Jen-Nay (a la Forrest Gump) to Genie to Jennie to Guinea to Geeny to whatever.
Try having off-the-boat Italian in-law grandparents. GEEEEENNIIIEEEEE
This. DH is Southern and would definitely pronounce Jennifer like this. He pronounces the words "pen" and "pin" exactly the same way, and he doesn't even have much of a strong accent anymore.
Topher Grace is real name is Christopher but never liked Chris so he took it off. I am not exactly sure if he legally changed it, but I don't think it matters.
Topher is just a nickname I believe. My husband goes by Toph or Topher as well.
pretty much the same in Louisiana. Do they also call a person who writes books an "Arthur" up there? Because that drives me batty, here.
I do...from Louisiana.
I think this is the case too. FWIW, I knew her in high school and we pronounced her name Jennifer...I don't see the difference between that and Ginnifer.
So many celebrities don't use their real names anyway, so that makes me not think twice about this. Jennifer Goodwin is a pretty generic name. I agree with PPs who said it's a cover up for another reason that she changed it.
It blows my mind that there are people who pronounce Jennifer and Ginnifer the same way. So weird.
Eleanor Noelle - 18/05/12 Claire Elisabeth - 16/-5/10
Cracks me up!