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Baby names

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

Original poster

How do you pronounce

80 replies

DeStijl · 10/01/2018 19:58

Alistair?
Our 9 week old is Alistair and there's been some real variation in how people are saying it.

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MikeUniformMike · 10/01/2018 22:46

Alis-dur. SE England. I like the name Alistair, makes me think of Alistair Cook the cricketer or the Brownlee brother.

marshminkmellow · 10/01/2018 22:10

I'd pronounce it how you say it. It's your child. If you said his name was Dave, he'd be Dave, if it's Alistair, then Alistair :p just correct people if they say it wrong

8DaysAWeek · 10/01/2018 22:06

@WhiskeySourpuss haha me too! Hardly rolls off the tongue!

OvO · 10/01/2018 22:05

So is Alister meant to be pronounced the same as Alistair?

I say them differently. It's too confusing. All boys must now be called Bob!

ItsLikeSputnik · 10/01/2018 21:49

I’m Scottish and live in Scotland and would pronounce it Al-lis-ster. Doesn’t matter what spelling is used, pronunciation would be the same. Although every one I know is called Ally Smile

meanapparently · 10/01/2018 21:37

My boy is Alistair. I love it, everyone always compliments it. He is either Ali or Alicat!

CharizMa · 10/01/2018 21:36

All-iss-tur

SumAndSubstance · 10/01/2018 21:35

Generally, if I see the name written down, I would say 'Allistuh" in my head, but I did know an Alistair once who pronounced it 'stair' so I did too in his case!

blue2014 · 10/01/2018 21:33

It's a lovely name, not too posh and if it is he can call himself "Al"

Littlewhistle · 10/01/2018 21:26

I would never pronounce the end as "stair". I would say it like Allister

DrRanjsRightEyebrow · 10/01/2018 21:23

Al uh stair.
Alister or Allister would be Al ih stuh.

treaclesoda · 10/01/2018 21:23

I'd say Aliss-tur as well.

SuperBeagle · 10/01/2018 21:21

Alistuh.

But I have heard Alist-aaair even here in Australia, but primarily when the name is spelt Alasdair.

twinjocks · 10/01/2018 21:20

Ah-lis-tur

LittleTinyPig · 10/01/2018 21:17

Yeah I say A-liss-stair and am in the SE.

C0untDucku1a · 10/01/2018 21:17

Ali stur

JeremiahBackflip · 10/01/2018 21:15

Ah-liss-stur

WhiskeySourpuss · 10/01/2018 21:15

@8DaysAWeek Btw I'm Scottish and can't wrap my head around this "stair" business. Really?? As in bear, care, dare etc?

Oh thank heavens... I thought I was going mad as I've never pronounced or heard it pronounced as anything other than Ah-lis-tir & have spent the best part of 10mins saying it over & over again checking I was right 🙈

weebarra · 10/01/2018 21:10

I've got an Alasdair - I pronounce it Alasdair.
It's kind of a cross between a d and a t!

SimonBridges · 10/01/2018 21:06

A-lis-tair.

ClassicIntercourse · 10/01/2018 21:03

DH pronounces it Alice-stuh and it's one of his names (he is of Scottish descent but not Scottish himself, named after a relative who was though)

Ontopofthesunset · 10/01/2018 21:02

Al-iss-tuh (London). I'd pronounce all spelling variants (Alistair, Alastair, Alasdair, Aleister) the same way.

GottaGetThisDone · 10/01/2018 21:00

My dad is Alistair, he is a scot, and his name is pronounced Ali-stuh.
I was never very keen on it but I LOVE the name now and get quite regretful about fact I didn't use it for one of my boys (although even if i had loved it back then ex-H would never have agreed)

grasspigeons · 10/01/2018 20:56

Alistuh or Alistair depending who I'm with.
(posh London connections and Ayrshire connections)

8DaysAWeek · 10/01/2018 20:53

Btw I'm Scottish and can't wrap my head around this "stair" business. Really?? As in bear, care, dare etc?

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