Help with a name
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Help with a name
We have a newborn in the family, we agreed on the first and middle name, but have issues with the last name.
The last name of the family is Belozerov which is kind of complex to prounounce and doesn't really mean anything in English anyway. In Russian it means Belo=white, Ozerov=Lake. (Like Belorussia, of the former republics)
We are thinking of abbreviating it to one of these:
Belov
Ozerov
The first one doesn't really mean anything, nor does it have to, the second one means "Of Lake".
What do you think? My main concern is for native speakers to be able to pronounce them.
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The last name of the family is Belozerov which is kind of complex to prounounce and doesn't really mean anything in English anyway. In Russian it means Belo=white, Ozerov=Lake. (Like Belorussia, of the former republics)
We are thinking of abbreviating it to one of these:
Belov
Ozerov
The first one doesn't really mean anything, nor does it have to, the second one means "Of Lake".
What do you think? My main concern is for native speakers to be able to pronounce them.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: the beaches of florida
If your worried about easy of pronunciation id say belov would be easier for the typical american. Thats got a nice ring to it i think.
Out of curiosity how long has your family been in America? I have a buddy that just got back from a month stay in Moscow and he said it was beautiful.
Out of curiosity how long has your family been in America? I have a buddy that just got back from a month stay in Moscow and he said it was beautiful.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
Just give him a good Ellis island name like Smith, johnson, rogers or stevens.
Is this child first American born in your family? Maybe hyphenated something easy for
the English speakers that the child can go by for school and things, But with your name at the end of the name so the child doesn't forget it's heritage. Mexicans have four names I think there second last name comes from their mothers maiden name.
So it would be like this James douglas smith belozerov He could go by either when he get's older but for school he could go by the american name!! I am sure school kids would come up with something to rhyme with Belozerov, To make fun of him!! My mothers side is from Bohemia I am glad I didn't end up with their last name!!
Is this child first American born in your family? Maybe hyphenated something easy for
the English speakers that the child can go by for school and things, But with your name at the end of the name so the child doesn't forget it's heritage. Mexicans have four names I think there second last name comes from their mothers maiden name.
So it would be like this James douglas smith belozerov He could go by either when he get's older but for school he could go by the american name!! I am sure school kids would come up with something to rhyme with Belozerov, To make fun of him!! My mothers side is from Bohemia I am glad I didn't end up with their last name!!
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Yeah, you got a point.
This one isn't even the worst, by far.
Some of these middle eastern or chinese or even eastern european are just totally impossible to say.
I want to go with a shortened version of my last name.
This one isn't even the worst, by far.
Some of these middle eastern or chinese or even eastern european are just totally impossible to say.
I want to go with a shortened version of my last name.
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From: Princeton, MN
I like Belozerov. It's very apropos
My last name is Riddle. Pronounced just like it reads. You wouldn't believe how many people cannot figure out how to pronounce it. I get people pronouncing it Rydel, Ridley, etc.
No matter what you pick, people are going to get it wrong. That's why I like what you have already. Now if you are thinking of changing yours too just for fun, then pick something you like. My grandpa decided to change his last name when he was in his fifties just for fun, only he changed the spelling to the old swedish way and kept the pronuciation the same.
My last name is Riddle. Pronounced just like it reads. You wouldn't believe how many people cannot figure out how to pronounce it. I get people pronouncing it Rydel, Ridley, etc. No matter what you pick, people are going to get it wrong. That's why I like what you have already. Now if you are thinking of changing yours too just for fun, then pick something you like. My grandpa decided to change his last name when he was in his fifties just for fun, only he changed the spelling to the old swedish way and kept the pronuciation the same.
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Old Swedish name, that must be impossible to pronounce.He was born 2 days ago and I get to pick his name's spelling. Even the same name can be spelled different ways.
Last edited by apropos; Oct 11, 2007 at 01:03 PM.
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My vote would be to keep your last name as it is. It's your heritage and ties you and your family with where you came from. As mentioned before, people screw up pronouncing simple last names and there will always be a kid that will come up with something to rhyme with any last name. Plus, changing the name will make it hard for future generations to follow their family tree which is confusing enough as it is.
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From: Southern MD
Originally Posted by apropos
We have a newborn in the family, we agreed on the first and middle name, but have issues with the last name.
The last name of the family is Belozerov which is kind of complex to prounounce and doesn't really mean anything in English anyway. In Russian it means Belo=white, Ozerov=Lake. (Like Belorussia, of the former republics)
We are thinking of abbreviating it to one of these:
Belov
Ozerov
The first one doesn't really mean anything, nor does it have to, the second one means "Of Lake".
What do you think? My main concern is for native speakers to be able to pronounce them.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
The last name of the family is Belozerov which is kind of complex to prounounce and doesn't really mean anything in English anyway. In Russian it means Belo=white, Ozerov=Lake. (Like Belorussia, of the former republics)
We are thinking of abbreviating it to one of these:
Belov
Ozerov
The first one doesn't really mean anything, nor does it have to, the second one means "Of Lake".
What do you think? My main concern is for native speakers to be able to pronounce them.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
apropos,
Give your child YOUR name.
Be proud of your heritage and the baby's mother's heritage.
This great land of ours is a combination of people from different countries.
IF someone mis-pronounces your last name, politely correct them and take it in stride.
I won't even attempt to put my full name on here.
Not one day goes by without it being pronounced or mis-spelled.
(As for what my last name means. . . well. . . the direct translation is: Bloody Murder.)
My ancestors fought beside the Scots, in their quest for freedom from England.
My ancestors are Irish. They would attack and retreat to fight another day.
And congratulations on your new baby!!!!!!!
Keith
Last edited by 00BlueOvalRanger; Oct 11, 2007 at 01:33 PM.
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From: in the woods of MA
I kind of like the original - Belozerov. Does have a certain rhythm to it.
But if you really want to make it easier for the "natives" to deal with, you could go with the full translation too: "Whitelake"
But if you really want to make it easier for the "natives" to deal with, you could go with the full translation too: "Whitelake"
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Thanks for the input... I think I will keep it the way it is. It's really not *that* bad, compared to some that are downright impossible to pronounce or spell.
Last edited by apropos; Oct 11, 2007 at 02:24 PM.
Posting Guru
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From: Princeton, MN
Originally Posted by thorseshoeing
Here's what I would do...I would spell the name Belozerov, and pronounce it "Smith"...you know, just to confuse people...
Tim
Tim
decadent and depraved
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Right Behind You
Originally Posted by Buckarcher
That does sound like something you would do.
So far nobody has been able to get it right...
Tim