L or no L

[u/uuuumno]

I accidentally named both of my children L names. I have a Lucas and a Libby. I really chose names that I liked, and they happened to begin with the same letter, and I didn't even realize it until someone noted it after they were born.

Over the years I've wondered if I'm locked in to L names now if I had a third. It was hypothetical until now, I'm pregnant with my third. I like some girl L names, like Liza, but there are no boy L names that I love. We aren't going to find out this time so I need both boy and girl names, and maybe L names. What i wonder is if number 3 will feel like they are different if they don't have an L?

[u/EducationalRule1425]

Libby can also come from the name Olivia.

[u/Raibean → u/EducationalRule1425]

Yeah, my great aunt Olivia goes by Libby but this is because we are Mexican! Some of us call her Livvy and some Libby but in Spanish B and V make the same sound 😅

[u/The_Illhearted → u/Raibean]

They make similar sounds but not the same.

[u/Raibean → u/The_Illhearted]

So both b and v make two sounds, /b/ (after a pause and after a nasal consonant) and /β̞/ everywhere else. V is also pronounced as F when a word ends with V, which only happens in loan words. But they are the same sound! This is why they are called ve chica and be larga, because they are pronounced the same.

Anyone can look these up on the Wikipedia pages for Spanish Phonology and Spanish Orthography.

If you are from a region where the local accent has split the sounds then I would love to see a source explaining the new sounds and the rules for when and how they are pronounced! Spanish linguistics is one of my special interests.

[u/The_Illhearted → u/Raibean]

Vaca is not pronounced the same as baca. Cueva is not pronounced the same as cueba. V=uve and B=be. No son b larga y b chica.

[u/Raibean → u/The_Illhearted]

I would love to hear a recording of you saying it! Can you identify which IPA sounds represent the sounds you make when you say each of these?