I've seen that name used before, although I don't remember where (what book). I would probably pronounce it Share-iss, or possibly Care-iss.
I likely read the name in a Regency book, so that's what it evokes in my mind. And, assuming either of my internal pronunciations is correct, I think it's a pretty name.
I would flip-flop between Chair-iss or Kar-iss. Either way, it's the type of name I'd expect to find in a fantasy novel, but would probably be pretty distracted in anything else.
When I read the Heyer book referenced above, I had never heard the name used before and therefore had no idea of how to pronounce it at first. Later, one of the characters in the book explained how it was to be pronounced and what it meant (grace?).
Pronounced as "care-iss", I think it is quite a pretty-sounding name.
I had a friend called Charis. She pronounced it Kar (short a) - iss
For me it will forever conjure a feminine, cheerful 20ish woman.
It's Greek for 'grace'. But, yeah, based on the other responses maybe not a go-er. Although, the inability of most people to pronounce it hasn't prevented people using the name 'Angharadh' in lots of Celtic books, so you could be fine 🙂
I had a friend called Charis. She pronounced it Kar (short a) - iss
For me it will forever conjure a feminine, cheerful 20ish woman.
It's Greek for 'grace'. But, yeah, based on the other responses maybe not a go-er. Although, the inability of most people to pronounce it hasn't prevented people using the name 'Angharadh' in lots of Celtic books, so you could be fine 🙂
I brutalize the heck out of anything related to Welsh or Celtic but I still enjoy the stories. As long as I can roll the name around in my head, I'm fine with not knowing how to pronounce it correctly.
The first thought that hit my brain when I saw this was Kari from The Incredibles, where she explains how her name is pronounced with a hard 'K' instead of a softer 'C' and an 'AH' instead of an 'IE'. Thinking Car and Hiss without the 'H' here. Love this name too. Feels very ethereal.
I'd have gone with ['kerIs] (or "kay-riss," if you prefer), as well.
But no matter how the reader pronounces it in their mind, it's a lovely looking name. Why not go with it? I read books I love with names I don't know how to pronounce (fantasy) all the time, lol. Doesn't deter from my enjoyment of the book for a moment. I come up with how I want to hear it as the reader, and I roll with that.
If you like the name, go with it. Plenty of people mispronounced Hermione's name, didn't stop their enjoyment of the book!
Edit: I can't recall the title right now but I read a book a long while back with a character named Eva. I pronounced it "E-va" but on a podcast or youtube video or something, the author was talking and kept pronouncing it as "A-va". So even with a "simple" name there can be variety.
Back in the 90's, I used to babysit a baby with that name. Her family pronounced it Care-iss, and if I remember correctly it means grace. So Charis makes me think of babies. But I also think it's a peaceful, pretty name.
Anyway, I don't think it matters if every reader pronounces it differently. I've sold hundreds of thousands of books where, when I have to say them aloud, I call the characters "whats-his-name". When I asked my readers, they all had different ideas on the pronunciation.
I always wonder why people wonder how other people would pronounce a name in a book. If you want it pronounced a certain way, you have plenty of ways in a book to show how you want it.
As of me, I would take it as a Greek based name and probably a female one. I would take it as a "hard" CH, chair-iss.
And until i see the character, I try not to make assumptions based on a name.
It alleviates that whole issue where a significant number of folks insist that every name ending in an S only needs an apostrophe at the end to make it possessive instead of an apostrophe-S. Which is not true. And why I avoid character names ending in an S.
I went to school with a girl called Charisse, pronounced Shar-EESE. I thought this might be a variant of that. I always assumed she was named after the actress/dancer Cyd Charisse.
I'd have gone with ['kerIs] (or "kay-riss," if you prefer), as well.
But no matter how the reader pronounces it in their mind, it's a lovely looking name. Why not go with it? I read books I love with names I don't know how to pronounce (fantasy) all the time, lol. Doesn't deter from my enjoyment of the book for a moment. I come up with how I want to hear it as the reader, and I roll with that.
Yep, this - if I am reading, I will "make up" a pronunciation that works for me and it doesn't stop me enjoying the book.
Don't forget that the English language is chock full of words that are written completely differently to how they are pronounced - for example, I didn't find out the "proper" way to say St John until years after I'd read Jane Eyre but it didn't stop me enjoying the book.
Charis is a lovely and unusual name (another Heyer fan here) so if you like it I say go for it.
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