I'm specifically interested in responses from Brits please, as that's where we live, happy to hear all opinions but please say if you are not a Brit or don't live here. I believe -ien is French and -ian English maybe? Have you met someone with either of these spellings? Are they constantly telling people to pronounce their name with 3 syllables not 2?
Posted May 12, 2021, 3:30 PM UTC
From Scotland, I think Lucien look better but I would pronounce both names differently. Also I’ve never met anyone with the name but I like it
I prefer Lucian personally.
Edit:
Haven't met anyone with the name though.
I think I do too, would you naturally pronounce it Loo shun or Loo see an? Thanks for replying
Loo-see-an comes more naturally but I do slip into Loo-shun sometimes because of American TV associations.
I think im the same! I keep coming back to this name though!
I’m from Canada and I used to nanny for a boy named Lucian but his name was pronounce Loo-shee-ehn. I loved the name.
I've never met anyone with either name. I personally think Lucien looks a bit more feminine and, as you say, French. However, I would pronounce both the same way (Lucy-en)
I’m a Brit and love both. I would pronounce both the same. I perhaps have a slight preference for the British version but both are really lovely names.
Not a Brit, but I think the different pronunciations are so interesting so I’ll add my impression. I’m in the US (coastal California). To me, Lucian is pronounced Loo-chee-ahn (possibly because of the association with Luciano Pavarotti), whilst Lucien would be loo-see-en. Loo-shen sounds like a mispronounciation, but one I’d expect from someone who lives in the midwestern or southeastern US.
I'm in the UK and didn't know Lucian could be pronounced 'Loo-shun' - I thought it was 'Lucy-an'. I'd pronounce Lucien with a nasal French N - a bit like Lucy-Anne but missing some of the N sound. Not sure if that makes sense.
Never met anyone with either name but I like it. Prefer the -an spelling I think.
Yeah. I’d say Lucian like LOO-see-in and Lucien like loo-see-EN with a bit of a French N. (I’d assume an -en was of French parentage)
Lucian! I would pronounce it ‘Loo-chun’ as that’s how it is in Italian if the name was ‘Luciano’ (which is similar) but you may get people pronouncing it differently; either way it’s easy to correct them to how you want it pronounced. I’m from the Midlands for context :)
I have a student (high school) named Lucian, pronounced Loo-shun. Love the name! It is unusual, but doesn’t feel “made up.” (Nothing wrong with inventive names, just not my preference.) I prefer Lucian to Lucien. I’m in the U.S.
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I’m an Afro-Caribbean Brit and know of a few all spelled and pronounced Lucien / Loo-shen.
English here (Midlands)
I've never met either, but I'd pronounced Lucian like 'Loo-Shun' and Lucien like 'Lucy-enn' so I guess it depends on what you want?
That's very helpful, thank you. I like both pronunciations even though they are different names so I think we will need to order pizza and discuss! Also I'm really pregnant and I want pizza
Happy Cake, Pizza and Pregnant day! 😆
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Weird, I'd pronounce them exactly the opposite!
Edit: born and raised in the Midlands. Now live in the South.
Why do you pronounce them oppositely?
I pronounce Lucian like 'Loo-Shun' because of the 'ian' ending
and Lucien like 'Lucy-enne' because of the 'en' ending.