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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Esme???

63 replies

EffieB · 20/09/2010 17:01

Don't know what it is but every time I think I like a name I've gone off it a week later- the current contender is Esme- what do you think? Have a complicated surname so a shortish but not too common first name needed!

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MamaLazarou · 13/10/2011 14:39

It's nice written down but doesn't really roll off the tongue, TBH. I know a little Esme, and always hesitate before saying her name for some reason. Have met lots of baby Esmes recently - both pronunciations.

pilates · 13/10/2011 12:09

I love the name Esme, very pretty imo.

oohlaalaa · 13/10/2011 11:28

I like the name. I only know one (she is about 24). I suspect after Twilight, it is on the rise. I think it could be the next Evie.

AnaisB · 13/10/2011 11:26

DesertOrchid - took the words right out of my mouth.

We have an Esme (short for Esmeralda). We've had no twilight comments, although I'm aware of the character. We've met one Esme (ez may, age 8) after the JD Sallinger novel.

ClareyLou78 · 13/10/2011 11:11

DD2 is Esme "Ezmee" Willow. Frickin love it. Best name ever!! x

DesertOrchid · 04/02/2011 15:38

I always thought there were two valid pronunciations Es-mee or Es-may depending upon where you think you are deriving it from. The 'Old French' is supposedly from a verb 'to esteem' and would be es-may... But presumably it is also a nn for Esmerelda and would legitimately also be Es-mee.

AvasLovelyMummy · 04/02/2011 12:39

I really love this name, hense why i clicked on the thread....surely you as parent decide whats the best way its pronounced, spelt, accent or no accent!!!
i personally will be choosing Esme (Ez-may) and if no one likes it then tuff!!! Grin

CheerfulYank · 25/09/2010 17:59

I think it's very pretty :)

saucetastic · 25/09/2010 16:50

Joanna Newsom fan?

MoralDefective · 25/09/2010 16:36

Yuck...sorry...personal opinion...reminds me of old ladies hairdressers in home town!!

Original poster
EffieB · 23/09/2010 18:38

nicky80 you've not seen us- no guarenteeing attractiveness in this house!

OP posts:
nicky80 · 23/09/2010 17:04

lovely name go for it! She is bound to be pretty with a name like that!

Kathleen123 · 22/09/2010 12:45

Love the name.

withorwithoutyou · 22/09/2010 09:26

There are still two ways of pronouncing it pointydog, I don't know why you want to debate the ins and outs of it.

cece · 21/09/2010 22:41

Oh and I always thought it was a unisex Scottish name too!

pointydog · 21/09/2010 22:40

I think it's an accent thing. I've flicked through the threads. It's because the English cannot handle r in words and most prefer to pretend that it's not there. If you could hear those posters say the name, I bet 95% of them would saying the same thing.

If you lived in scotland, where people know how to pronounce r, there would be no confusion.

cece · 21/09/2010 22:40

I have an Esme. We say it Esmee not Esmay.

TBH I know several and only one of them says it Esmay, the rest are all Esmee.

Of course I am biased but I think it is very pretty.

At the time of choosing it I didn't realise you could say it Esmay as I had only ever met Esmees. However it is not a real problem at all, especially as Esmay is also quite nice.

Over my DD's school career so far she has had two years when her teachers have called her Esmay. The rest of the time her teacher has managed to pronounce it Esmee (our way). LOL. She doesn't mind luckily! One even started spelling it with the accent I noticed!

BatsInTheSnowglobe · 21/09/2010 22:35

I really like the name Esme, but agree you will probably get Twilight comments, not that i'd let that stop me if I liked a name.

withorwithoutyou · 21/09/2010 22:33

debated here

and here

withorwithoutyou · 21/09/2010 22:30

No it's not.

pointydog · 21/09/2010 22:29

Isn't that just a different in accent when saying the name?

I really can't think of two different ways of saying it. English people never pronounce an r anyway.

withorwithoutyou · 21/09/2010 22:27

Yes, there is El-uh-na and El-an-or.

I started a thread about it a few months ago.

pointydog · 21/09/2010 22:17

Are there different ways of promouncing Eleanor?

withorwithoutyou · 21/09/2010 22:09

I love it. Also thought it was scottish.

The pronunciation thing does my head in though and is exactly why we decided against Eleanor for DD2.

pointydog · 21/09/2010 21:47

Quite nice

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