Gordana Gehlhausen was a contestant on Project Runway this season. Before the season began, I assumed her first name would be pronounced with a hard G, like Gordon. I was wrong. She pronounces her name with a soft G. I wonder how many other people also got it wrong?
Typically, when the letter G is followed by E, I or Y, it’s soft. Otherwise, it’s hard. Gentle and giant have soft G’s, while gargoyle and gurgle have hard G’s.
The rule can also be applied to names. Geoffrey and Gillian have soft G’s; Gavin, Goldie and Gus have hard G’s. (Exceptions like Gertrude and Gideon do exist.)
If you want to personalize a name that features the letter G, or substitute a G for a J, pay close attention to the vowels that follow. Taking an E out of George turns the name into a geological formation. Forcing a G into James gives you Games. (And playing Games with baby names is usually not a good idea.)
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Reminds me of Gob from Arrested Development, who was constantly called Gob (hard g), when it was really pronounced like Job (from the Bible).
Gordana with a soft G? Even Tim Gunn couldn’t make it work. To me, the name looks like a Spanish endearment for a chubby little girl (“gorda” = fat).
In high school I dated a guy named Gerdine, which was a hard-g name. He got it pronounced wrong all the time, and he’d point out “Gertrude! Get! It happens!”
Brings to mind Gorja Fox of CSI fame.