Everytime I read Ian's name and remember that he wants it pronounced differently because of some unresolved issues he has I always hope he can eventually resolve them and stop running from the real pronunciation of his name but actually embrace it. idk if that makes sense

cuz its like hes doing it because of his dad, not because of himself. he's changing himself because of others, but fuck that. it feels like he's avoiding addressing something, and when he finally stops, he won't feel the need to run from it anymore.

names are always a touchy subject because a name is often part of your identity, but the reason why the pronunciation of Ian's name doesn't sit right with me is simply that he's not doing it out of a desire to be true to himself. he's doing it to run away from something

which narratively to me translates to avoiding his problems. it's not the same as a person choosing a new name to be closer to their identity, it's basically the exact opposite. renouncing to a part of you (in this case, his name) because it's painful for you to deal with

the moment he deals with those issues, he shouldn't need the alternative pronunciation any longer. it wouldn't be necessary, because the issue that prompted him to change it would be resolved. to ME, narratively, accepting the normal pronunciation would translate to Ian healing

this is why it's different. it's a very nuanced conversation for sure, but bottom line for me is looking at why the character is doing something. the motivation behind it, whether it's driven by /hurt and avoidance/ or /growth and self acceptance/.

and to me, ian using a diff pronunciation is the first, and accepting the normal one would be the second.