transliteration

[Nina79]

last name: Журихин
is it Zhurihin or Zhyrihin?

[SOVA1977]

Лучше Zhurikhin, имхо

[АлиYa]

без сомнения Zhurihin

[Nina79]

do you say it's better becasue it looks better or because of some rule or because it pronounces more accurately that way?

(we are having a fight at work)

[SOVA1977]

Если хочешь, могу выслать тебе таблицу транслитерации с русского на английский и наоборот, взятую из учебника по практическому переводу, по которому учат на факультете иностранных языков

[layman]

а разве когда-нибудь Y произносилось как русское [у]?

[Nina79]

layman

ok, ok.
so it's Zhurihin. I have never actually had a problem with that. the problem comes down to a place name (confidential in all ways) which has similar sounds as the name above.
and in teh case of the place, a Y actually makes sense in terms of pronunciation. But in translit rules it's a U.

[Madjesty]

Side with SOVA1977

[Brains]

Я бы всё-таки написал Zhurikhin.