2d ago

Is there a rhyme or reason to pronouncing the surname "Davies"?

I've heard it pronounced both "Dave-Iss" and "Davey's". I don't hear the names often but I see them regularly and never know how to pronounce them. The only one I'm sure about is Alan Davies (Dave-Iss) because of QI.

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“Davies” and “Davis” would have the same origin, in that they were used as patronymics for sons/daughters of people named David, which became frozen as family names when the rising bureaucratic state demanded that its subjects had consistent ones. If your dad was named David, how your surname was spelled and pronounced would have depended on the regional dialect people around you spoke.
For what it’s worth, Davies is a common Welsh surname.
- Thanks for an actual, helpful answer, lol, instead of whatever the other commenter was doing here.
  “Davies” and “Davis” would have the same origin
  So, as a rule of thumb, I should pronounced it "Davis" unless otherwise corrected?
  For what it’s worth, Davies is a common Welsh surname.
  That much I did know :)
If you think Davies is wild, check out Menzies. Based on how it's spelled you'll never in a million years guess how it's pronounced.
- I've heard it as
  ::: spoiler spoiler Min Giss :::
  Menzies Campbell (Scottish Lib Dem MP) is pronounced like this.
  The shop John Menzies should have been pronounced like that, but everyone just said it how it looked.
  
  Aye!
Same for pronouncing "Irvine".
Well, dave-iss is wrong, so there's that

9 comments