Would you pronounce Esme - Es-me or Es-may?

[Minicooper]

I know it depends on whether you use an accent, but just wondering. Think I prefer Es-me, but Es-may is prob the original pronunication. And how popular is it in your neck of the woods?

[stripes200]

Es-me.

I don't know any little ones called Esme.

[Deemented]

I went to school wsith a girl called Esme, and it was always Es-me.

[bronze]

-me

don't know any. Know of a couple. Pretty name

[edam]

Ez-mee - at least, that's how we always pronounced my cat's name. Vague memory that Ez-may is a Scottish pronunciation but could have that wrong.

There was a little girl of that name in nursery with ds.

[KingRolo]

-me

[Tidey]

I've only ever known one person called it, but it was Es-me, she got rather fed up if people said Es-may.

[GwarchodwrPlant]

Es-may.

[Ondine]

I would always pronouce it as Es-me unless there is an accent i.e. Esmé or Esmée.

[cece]

I have an Es-me, she quite often gets Esmay. She doesn't seem to mind as she says she quite likes it as well. I would add that when we named her no one had heard of it but where we live now there are quite a lot of Esmes and one Esmay. (All younger than mine I would add!)

[JulesJules]

I know two - both Ez-may.

[RedDeadFail]

Seen this thread on here a couple of times before. Opinion always divided with the general argument being that -me is the original. Prefer -may that said.

[PuppyMonkey]

I have an Ez..mee. Definitely don't like Esmay and get cross if people pronounce it like that. But not many people do actually so that's all right!

She is two now and we have only ever met one other Esme.

[juuule]

It's Ez-meh round here.

[giraffesCanRunA10k]

es-me

[happyjules]

Es-me. I have an aunt of that name, it's lovely.

[Minicooper]

Thanks, everyone. Divided opinion, unsurprisingly, but we'd obviously get away with Es-me if we chose it. Obviously we'll have a boy now

[Esmee]

I know one, and she's pronounced EZ-may.

[SloogBoog]

My 3 year old is Esme (with an acute accent on final e - can't find it on this computer!) Therefore, it is pronounced Ez-may. It's usually pronounced Es-me without the accent. My daughter's named after the main character in a short story - For Esme with Love and Squalor by JD Salinger.

The accent version is originally French and came over, I believe. So I guess you can have either/or depending on whether you use the accent (took a while for my partner to come round to the poncey accent!!)

[NotanOtter]

i say es may but most are es me

[NotanOtter]

i think it should be thus Esmé not pretentious just makes it more easily pronouncable

[mopsyflopsy]

Actually,

Esmée (female version) should be pronounced like Renée (neither Es-mee nor Es-may, but Es-meh)

Esmé (like René) is the MALE version.

We English are of course free to pronounce and use these names in our own, made up way .

[NotanOtter]

i seee

i dont get that meh sound though - what is it like?

[greensnail]

I know two pronounced es-may, and one pronounced es-mee.
Apparently the Es-mee often gets es-may though

[ReneRusso]

I know one Esme and for her its Es-mee. very nice name

[purplehighheels]

My 4 yr old is named Esme and we pronounce it Es-me. I don't know of any others, so not too popular.