# Siobhan? Shevaughn? Chevonne? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2013, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237 "2013-03-18T08:41:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/21 "2013-03-18T12:46:54Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > Shona is Scottish. Is the Irish equivalent Seonaid? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/22 "2013-03-18T12:54:29Z")
> [@Ken001](#): > > Yeah Sam, I agree but I’m not the parents. No harm done and I think the objective was to provide the girls with memorable names. But do they pronounce it like Siobhan? That’s really odd. I mean, Shayne is an actual name, one that has its own pronunciation. It’d be like naming your child David and insisting it be pronounced Daniel. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/23 "2013-03-18T13:04:19Z")
FWIW, I don’t see any problem with Chevonne. I’m not personally a huge fan of the name, but many of us have names that were Anglicized at some point or another. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/24 "2013-03-18T13:14:23Z")
If you want to spell it the Irish way don’t forget the fada on the a, Siobhán. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/25 "2013-03-18T13:15:14Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > FWIW, I don’t see any problem with Chevonne. I’m not personally a huge fan of the name, but many of us have names that were Anglicized at some point or another. At least one! 😃 Keep 'em coming, folks. I’m leaning towards yes, but I could be persuaded… ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/26 "2013-03-18T13:17:26Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > My favourite “alternate” spelling is please just don’t. It’s hard enough for those of us saddled with that fucking name without people poisoning the well and giving other assholes an opportunity to go “Oh _that’s_ a funny spelling, my cousin’s sister’s brother’s daughter spells it Sheeevaawwwnnn” Yeah, it is annoying to have to ask “spelled traditionally?” when that is the only way anyone but a dumbass would spell it. Anyone that thinks Shawn is OK should stay in Texas, where they think Amarillo rhymes with pillow. The Siobahns I have met seemed impressed that I knew how to pronounce/spell it. One was less impressed when she worked out that I was about 15 years older than she had guessed. She was a sweet kid, I would have been disappointed if I didn’t see it coming…enjoyed the attention while it lasted though. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/27 "2013-03-18T13:24:38Z")
Repost ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/28 "2013-03-18T13:25:01Z")
I like Chevonne No one is going to like your kid’s name as much as you do, so do what ever you want. I want to name my new baby girl Celeste Louise, and people either love it or hate it, and I don’t care either way what people think about it, it’s my name to choose not theirs! Go with whatever spelling/name you want! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/29 "2013-03-18T13:32:02Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > I want to name my new baby girl Celeste Louise, and people either love it or hate it, and I don’t care either way what people think about it, it’s my name to choose not theirs! That’s a great name. It’s kind of fun to say, too, a bit of a workout for the mouth 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/30 "2013-03-18T13:35:35Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > But do they pronounce it like Siobhan? That’s really odd. I mean, Shayne is an actual name, one that has its own pronunciation. It’d be like naming your child David and insisting it be pronounced Daniel. True. Agreed. They pronounce it Schanne which is really Sian but thats what they say. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/31 "2013-03-18T13:41:32Z")
If you’re a fan of Irish names, any love for Sinead? Unless it means peanut-butter sandwich or something in Cantonese… ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/32 "2013-03-18T13:45:09Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > If you’re a fan of Irish names, any love for Sinead? Unless it means peanut-butter sandwich or something in Cantonese… LOL. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/33 "2013-03-18T13:46:33Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > That’s a great name. It’s kind of fun to say, too, a bit of a workout for the mouth 🙂 Thanks! My husband hates the middle name, but it is my great grandma’s name so he can suck it! Also, advice for the **OP** , everyone and their second cousin is going to give you suggestions for names, just smile and nod and say thanks then do what ever the heck you want. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/34 "2013-03-18T14:17:00Z")
Chevonne’s OK, it’s just that the second vowel sound is not the same as the second vowel sound in Siobhan, at least not in all the pronunciations I’ve heard. YMMV, of course. And I hate to say it, but it would look like the kind of name that somebody with very little education would choose. That probably won’t matter as much where you live now. > [@Ken001](#): > > True. Agreed. They pronounce it Schanne which is really Sian but thats what they say. Ah, so they were mistaken about the pronunciation of Siobhan as well. Oh dear. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/35 "2013-03-18T14:33:09Z")
I used to be a substitute teacher. When I took attendance for one class, I pronounced Siobhan correctly, which astonished her (and the rest of the students) as I was the first teacher who ever pronounced it correctly at first sight. Perhaps you could use it as a middle name. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/36 "2013-03-18T14:55:56Z")
Who’s going to care about how a cat’s name is spelled? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/37 "2013-03-18T15:04:06Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > I really, really like the name Siobhan (so it’s a girl, you knew that), but unfortunately nobody here (Singapore) is familiar with the original spelling, and there are some unfortunate “[false friends](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_friend)” meaning “roast meat” or similar in Cantonese. > > Not wanting to subject my poor daughter to that, my wife and I are thinking of alternatives. What’s your favourite alternate spelling of Siobhan? We’re thinking of going with Chevonne for now. 🙂 I gather that you really like the sound/pronunciation of Siobhan, and that said sound does not present a problem, and that you are not insistent on the spelling “Siobhan,” which does present a problem. Given that… It strikes me as a bit optimistic to suppose that people have a favorite alternate spelling in mind – I wouldn’t think it’s something that comes up often. If you want the second syllable to rhyme with “caught,” the “…vaughn” spelling makes sense; if you want it to rhyme with “cot,” the “…vonne” spelling makes sense. (I’m in the U.S., which may color the pronunciations I’m referring to.) While the first syllable can start with “sh” or “ch,” and the first vowel could be “a” (after “sh”) or “e,” I think the two spellings you’ve proposed are the best choices among the various possibilities. “Shevaughn” seems to have more of an Irish character, while “Chevonne” has more of a French character. If you have no preference between them, I’d lean towards “Chevonne” as being a bit simpler to deal with in terms of spelling and pronunciation. I understand how alternate spellings of established names can be grating, but so what? Are you likely to run into many – or any – people who hear the name and expect it to be spelled “Siobhan?” It seems to me in this case your chosen spelling will be less confusing rather than more confusing, where it would be the other way around if you lived in Ireland. And the way I look at it, if you name her Chevonne, her name will be Chevonne, not Siobhan spelled wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/38 "2013-03-18T15:12:45Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Who’s going to care about how a cat’s name is spelled? Oh, for Pete’s sake. We’re talking about a human, aren’t we? I thought we were talking about a kitten for the OP’s daughter. \ :dubious: \ Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/39 "2013-03-18T15:14:59Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Who’s going to care about how a cat’s name is spelled? > [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > Not wanting to subject my poor \*\*daughter \*\*to that, my wife and I are thinking of alternatives. What’s your favourite alternate spelling of Siobhan? We’re thinking of going with Chevonne for now. 🙂 Reading is hard. Chevonne looks trashy and stripper-y. Sorry, but it looks like a name someone less educated would pick. Siobhan is a beautiful name, if you want that name then _spell it correctly_! ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237/40 "2013-03-18T15:19:32Z")
I just realised that Shevaughn looks exactly like you wanted a son called Vaughn and adapted it when you had a daughter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siobhan-shevaughn-chevonne/653237.md?page=3)