this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2025
11 points (100.0% liked)

Ask UK

1619 readers
110 users here now

Community for asking and answering any question related to the life, the people or anything related to the UK.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

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.

all 10 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 6 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

“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.

[–] IcedRaktajino@startrek.website 2 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

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 :)

[–] Zombie@feddit.uk 3 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

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.

[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

spoilerit's the defunct scottish letter Ȝ isn't it?

[–] fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 3 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

I've heard it as

spoilerMin 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.

[–] Zombie@feddit.uk 3 points 17 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 17 hours ago
[–] miss_demeanour@piefed.ca 1 points 17 hours ago

Same for pronouncing "Irvine".

[–] Lyra_Lycan@lemmy.blahaj.zone -1 points 20 hours ago

Well, dave-iss is wrong, so there's that