Which way would you spell Alistair?

[Cammy007]

Alistair or Alastair? Would you pronounce these spellings differently?

[LadyAntonella]

There are so many spellings! I used to think Alastair was the usual spelling but would now spell it Alistair as I know a little boy with that name. I remember asking his GD how it was spelt and he said "the normal way" . There is Alasdair too I think. I'd pronounce them all the same as I pronounce a lot of my ts like ds anyway (Irish accent). It always comes out Alice-der!

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

Alistair would be my default!

[Sophronia]

Alastair is my favourite spelling

[Greenteandchives]

My lovely DS is Alasdair. not helping.

[sleepyhead]

I think Alistair is the most commonly used spelling, but Alastair is closer to the gaelic origins (but still Anglicised, so it doesn't really matter).

I'd pronounce them, and also the original Alasdair spelling, the same way.

[FiaMarrow]

I know an Alister.

[Gummibaers]

That alone would put me off the name, actually. A lifetime of having to spell it out.....

I think I'd choose Alistair if I had to choose it.

[nightandthelight]

I picked Alastair for my 5mo. A lot of people spell it Alistair but it's not the end of the world :) I just thought the Alastair spelling looked nicer. Would pronounce both the same.

[Raines100]

I spell it Alastair first like Alastair Mad Eye Moody from Harry Potter

[FranKatzenjammer]

Alasdair.

[user1465823522]

Alisdair.

[PontypandyPioneer]

I prefer Alistair. It's on our shortlist too!

[Icecappedpinetrees]

Alasdair

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

I thought Moody was Alastor

[Deux]

Alasdair.

My dad is christened Alexander but called Alasdair. Family from the Hebrides.

[Heatherbell1978]

There are 4 spellings I think. My brother is Alistair (he's Scottish but that's the Anglo cersiob), my DS' middle name is Alasdair which is the Scottish version. They're pronounced differently slightly as well.

[peggyundercrackers]

Alistair and Alasdair are pronounced differently, ive got friends who are called each spelling and they pronounce their names differently. the one called Alasdair pronounces the D instead of the T as in the other spelling.

[nectarini1983]

I wouldn't use a name with so many spelling options!

[bluebloom]

Alister looks like A-lister to me. I like Alasdair best. Lovely name.

[Gummibaers]

I would choose another name that has an obvious well recognised spelling. Otherwise he'll have a lifetime of correcting people.

[florascotianew]

Alasdair is the Scottish equivalent of Alexander (as, for example, Seamas is for James).

As Sgoinneal said earlier in this thread, Alasdair is the original spelling. The pronounciation is here: forvo.com/search/Alasdair/gd/

In some parts of Scotland where Gaelic is spoken, 't' and 'd' sound very similar - or, at least, not the same as they would in English south of the Border. Another example: the Scottish Gaelic for hospital is 'ospadal'.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

and you have to say it like Billy Connolly.... al-us-DARE....d-a-i-r.......Alasdair

see the "has nobody got any fucking first names" skit.

[DramaAlpaca]

It's one of those names where the more I look at it the more confused I get about which spelling looks right, and I end up thinking none of them do

That said, I really love the sound of the name.

If I was writing it down & didn't know how the person whose name it was spelled it, I think my instinct would be to go for Alistair.

If the person was Scottish I'd go for Alasdair.

I would pronounce all versions the same.

[LadyAntonella]

I'm not sure I do like the name tbh. It makes me think of cauliflower. Just me?