Apostrophe in Name?

amother

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 5:25 pm

Does anyone in America have experience with having an apostrophe in their name or their child's name.
I'm considering a Hebrew double-vowel name that I think will be frequently mispronounced without an apostrophe (a not good example is Ze'ev because it can be spelled with just one e, but same idea).
But I'm worried if I put an apostrophe on the birth certificate it will make future documents really complicated.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

amother

Camellia

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 6:19 pm

I did it. 😬
My DD loved it but now that she is leaving the nest, and all sorts of forms don’t have it as an option (like she had to write it in on her work badge with a sharpie) and she has to explain it to people, it is losing its luster.

hodeez

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:06 pm

No unless you're from Zimbabwe just write Zev.
ETA didn't see you said that was just an example.

amother

Lightgreen

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:26 pm

I strongly advise against it. You might be able to put it on a birth certificate but other forms of ID might not allow it. So your son would have an inconsistency between his IDs.
I've had patients whose names were written differently (eg O'Brian vs OBrian) on legal ID and insurance cards and it was a hassle.

Jews will know how to pronounce the name. Non-Jews will get the hang of it. Leave the apostrophe out!

hodeez

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:28 pm

amother Violet wrote:

I have a Yaakov. No apostrophe though my husband would love it if we did.

Why? Not like you pronounce it yah'akov

amother

Aquamarine

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:30 pm

You can spell it on legal documents without an apostrophe and then on a daily basis with an apostrophe. In my family we have that with
Dvorah
Nchemya

dena613

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:32 pm

amother Aquamarine wrote:

You can spell it on legal documents without an apostrophe and then on a daily basis with an apostrophe. In my family we have that with
Dvorah
Nchemya

Wow. Never ever seen nchemya. That is really hard on my eyes and if I were not frum, I don't know how I would pronounce it.

I know that both of those names are written with a sh'va under the first letter, but typically they are spelled with an e
Devorah
Nechemya

dena613

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:33 pm

hodeez wrote:

Why? Not like you pronounce it yah'akov

Some people do pronounce out that way.
It's really two patachs back to back

amother

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:46 pm

Ok a closer example is something like Ya'ir or Me'or or. I feel as Yair or Meor they will be harder for non-Hebrew speakers to pronounce correctly.
I suspected though that different documents might make the apostrophe too annoying and so better to just either tell people or include it when wanted?

amother

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:47 pm

amother Lightgreen wrote:

This is what I was afraid of ok thank you!

amother

Camellia

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 7:56 pm

My DD (see above) doesn’t want to lose it. In some ways the apostrophe has become her thing.
Her legal name is very basic and American and she could just use that but she wants to be called by her Hebrew name in the workplace. Also realize, it was never official spelled -it is how we taught her to write it. I also think it is typical mispronunced without the apostrophe.

Maayan (or Mayan) is pronounced differently than Ma’ayan. And she can always use Michelle in the public sphere (as is her regents diploma, medical records….) ( Like how we spelled Michelle with 2Ls like the double A).

amother

Daffodil

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 8:57 pm

I know someone that put a “h” in the middle of a name so that non jews would pronounce it properly. It looks strange but unique.

Like sahrah so nobody would say saaara instead

amother

Mustard

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 8:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

No it’s not done, and please don’t do it! Your child will resent you forever

Wolfsbane

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 9:07 pm

amother OP wrote:

People who don't already know the name still won't know how to pronounce it, even with the additional apostrophe. (With Ya'ir, as an example, the apostrophe may clue people in to the fact that it's two syllables, but they still won't know what the vowel sounds are. Long or short 'a'? "Ir" as in "fir"?) And it will definitely be challenging on forms.

amother

Currant

Tue, Nov 29 2022, 9:09 pm

I have a cousin Ro’e (pronounced Row-ee) who goes by David (his middle name) in non-Jewish settings because of this.

I would probably personally avoid spelling a name with an apostrophe in it, but I respect it and wouldn’t think someone else is weird for doing it.