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My name is "Yoanna" but I am not sure of how to pronounce or spell it properly in English. It is derived from "Joanna". Should I write it "Joanna" and pronounce it "Yoanna" or do I stick with "Yoanna" in either cases?

Also, using the example above, is it okay if I write English names that are pronounced differently in other countries the same way they are pronounced or do I just write them like their English form and pronounce them differently based on culture and language?

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  • This is purely a matter of choice, though perhaps tempered somewhat by the pragmatics of having others pronounce your name. (And there's nothing wrong with "Yoanna" -- it's not terribly strange and I think most English speakers would pronounce it reasonably well.)
    – Hot Licks
    Mar 28, 2020 at 23:27

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Good question!

It looks like the proper spelling is Yoanna. If you want to Anglicize it, then yes, use Joanna. It's your choice.

But use just one spelling and pronunciation, not two. That would confuse people. Either make it Yoanna or Joanna all the time, both written and spoken.

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  • I really want to know if there is a chance that name is common among English Speakers because I remain very skeptical about that name. Thank you a lot for your time.
    – Yoanna
    Mar 28, 2020 at 23:44
  • I've never heard it before, but as it's your name. you have a right to expect English speakers to use it, especially as it's not difficult for an English speaker to say. (When I spent a year in Switzerland as a student, I had to let most people call me Katherine, with the French pronunciation, because French speakers couldn't say Kate!)
    – Kate Bunting
    Mar 29, 2020 at 7:59

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