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[Facts] Re: Fruity names
Ah-ha! So that's the reason for Berry. Makes sense - I was mildly puzzled by American posters saying they wouldn't use Barry or Harry because they disliked Beary and Hairy until I said it out loud in my attempt at an American accent; and this must be .I agree that Cheryl and Cherie have got nothing to do with Cherry from a scholarly perspective, but the looks and sounds are so close that I'd be surprised if Cherry didn't get used as a nn for Cheryl especially. But there isn't an oversupply of Cheryls right now. Interesting that Cherry predates the others.Plum could be a nn for Victoria, I'm told.Thanks!
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But Cheryl and Cherry don't have the same initial sound. Cheryl has /sh/ as in shop while Cherry has /ch/ as in church. Cheryl was a very common name in my peer group (I was born in the 1960s), and while some Cheryls were called "Sherry," there was never any confusion with Cherry nor was Cherry used as a nickname for any of them. In fact, I've never known a Cherry.
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I've known two Cheryls who used the ch pronunciation, one of them being my cousin and the other uses Cherry as a nn! But, yes, they are unusual.
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Most American Cheryls use the Sh- pronunciation, but I have met one or two from the Southern USA who use the Ch- pronunciation as in Cherry or Chair.
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And all the Charlottes use the Sh- sound but mostly call themselves Charlie with a Ch- sound! Funny old world.
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