top Scottish boy's names

[Jack Daw]

Can members in America tell us how you pronounce 'Colin'? I'm thinking here of Colin Powell, as just one of many. Is it 'ko-lin' or 'caw-lin'? Not intended as a trick question; it could be that the double-l came about as a result of unfamiliar recorders and the tendency, therefore, for the double-l to be pronounced differently than the single-l.

Colin Powell's pronunciation (with the long O) of his first name was unique to my ears. My former pipe instructor's grandson's name is pronounced, "Cah-lin".

I've heard that the actor Gerard Butler can barely tolerate the way Americans pronounce his first name.

[tripleblessed]

Colin Powell's pronunciation (with the long O) of his first name was unique to my ears.

What he said.

And what I intended to say in my first go, but looking back, I never got there. I've asked, and I haven't found anyone who's ever heard of
a KOE lin except Gen. Powell. So, Rex, we're probably all as mystified as you.

In searching more thoroughly through what occasionally passes for my brain, I can't find this name among folk I've met in the UK and Australia
on any of the trips, so that explains not having heard the proper caw lin. I was willing to beg pardon for my Southern ear for that, but for once,
I'm innocent.

[Dollander]

I suppose General Powell's name can be compared to those rare individuals named Ian who pronounce it "eye-an" (like Ian Ziering). My boss says it's a separate name according to his friend who pronounces it that way, a variation of Ivan that happens to be spelled the same, but so far I've found nothing to support this. So I wonder if it's a case of giving one's child a name without knowing the proper pronunciation, or someone just getting tired of always correcting people and conceding to the incorrect version...

[The Q]

I suppose General Powell's name can be compared to those rare individuals named Ian who pronounce it "eye-an" (like Ian Ziering). My boss says it's a separate name according to his friend who pronounces it that way, a variation of Ivan that happens to be spelled the same, but so far I've found nothing to support this. So I wonder if it's a case of giving one's child a name without knowing the proper pronunciation, or someone just getting tired of always correcting people and conceding to the incorrect version...

Ian, Eoin, John, Sean, Soin, Eathain, Iuan, Ifan, Ioan, Ivan, Evan and Iain are all the same name in various languages and spellings.
Iuan is a Welsh version pronounced Yaiyan so those pronouncing Ian as Eye-an is not too far from that.

To say any one is the correct version would be impossible. It would depend on where the persons background and choice of spelling is coming from.

In England when learning the alphabet you learn Gee, Aitch, I(eye) Jay, Kay,
In most of Scotland you Learn Gee, Atitch, I(eye), Jai, Kay.

I and J in old English being the same letter

Local pronouciation of individual letters can have a big influence on how words are pronounced..