Question about rendering names

[beltspinner.livejournal.com]

I know that names aren't supposed to change that much, but what about when the name contains "W", "H" or "th" sounds? Names like Haley, Heather, and Will?

Thanks!

Comments

[oryx_and_crake]

Will - Уилл or, less frequently, Вилл (you can see Уильям Шекспир and Вильям Шекспир)

Haley and Heather will start with Х (Хейли). I am not that sure about th, though, just because there is no such sound in Russian, so it has to become either т or c.

[wolfie-18.livejournal.com]

I always thought H-names were transliterated into Г, i.e. Hamlet - Гамлет, Hitler - Гитлер.

[oryx_and_crake]

It rather depends on the established tradition, e.g. names that were borrowed from English sources in XIX century and earlier would transform H into Г, W into B and so on, while latest tendency is to have H as X, W as У etc. (see the example of Хаксли and Гексли below). That's why Harry Potter becomes Гарри Поттер (the book is a new one, the traditional rendering of Harry was established in earlier times), but Arthur Hailey stays Артур Хейли.

[justaduck.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, and I noticed when I was there the infamous, Гарри Поттер was spelled with a г as well.

[melange-fiesta.livejournal.com]

My Russian teacher said that my friend's name (Matthew) was spelled something like Матю.

[melange-fiesta.livejournal.com]

Or was it Мэтю? I forget. o.o

[cincinnat.livejournal.com]

Мэттью. Quite precise.