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Original poster

Marie? And pronunciation

81 replies

cornflowery · 04/04/2018 15:06

Marie is top of my our list. It's a name that appears in all sides of our families- despite them being from different parts of Europe - which I think is lovely. And I love the name too.
Anyway, DD due any day now. DH said last night that people will pronounce it just like the word "Marry" - which I don't particularly like.

People sometimes mispronounce, or rather just put emphasis on a different part / vowel of my DS name. It doesn't actually bother me too much. But we use a shortened version of his name (which everyone knows how to say) quite a lot - and we can't really do much shortening with the name Marie.

We are thinking of Marie Eloise Lastname, so opinions on that would be nice too.

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AGreatBigPonk · 09/04/2018 11:48

I know two Maries...my aunt MARRY (Celtic background) and my friend MaREE (German/English). I read it in my head as MaREE but wouldnt bat an eyelid if someone pronounced it MARRY. Basically tell people how you want it pronounced and it will stick either way.

Scottishgirl85 · 08/04/2018 08:57

I'm Scottish, Marie would be Ma-ree. Mairi is marry, mhairi is varry. I think Marie is nice and due a comeback.

Mollie85 · 08/04/2018 08:33

...in fact it was also my grandmothers name... not just a name of the times and I have no idea how her name was pronounced as she died when my mum was v young (too young to remember)

Mollie85 · 08/04/2018 08:31

Being born in 81 I am a “something Marie” Smile pronounced Mah-ree or more like muh-ree.

However everyone I have known who has it as a first name pronounced it Marry like Marie Rose (sauce) Confused

All you need to do is correct them a few times Grin

Elend · 06/04/2018 20:05

I'm in NI and I'd automatically say ma-ree - but if I was corrected to marry then that would make sense too. Although the only marry's I know are quite elderly. It's quite an old lady's name unless it's teamed with something else eg Marie-Therese, Marie-Claire etc
I love Máire (my-rah), Irish variant of Maria, but I guess in England there are some not so nice associations with that name

thecuckoosnest · 06/04/2018 19:48

Elle-Louise sounds so much better than El-Wahs which I thought perhaps might be the pronunciation.

Gorgeous names. Maybe this will start a trend and we'll hear them more often!

chezmk1988 · 05/04/2018 22:32

My middle name is Marie and it's pronounced Muh-ree

Foxsox · 05/04/2018 20:26

It's my middle name and I pronounce it

Muh-ree

daisypond · 05/04/2018 20:19

MAHree. Ma-REE. MArry. I know all three. But the middle one is the one I'd naturally go for.
Re Maria. Mar-EYE-uh is the traditional UK pronunciation - look at any Jane Austen adaptation. But Mar-EE-uh has taken over because it's so common in Spain/Italy, as Catholic countries, and as a name it's less common in the UK. That's why the song from West Side Story is Mar-EE-uh - they are Spanish speakers.

GrumpyPantz · 05/04/2018 11:06

MaREEa, I just met a girl named MaREEa... Most people will pronounce Maria like the song. And I'd think MaREE is more common in the UK.

Fifthtimelucky · 05/04/2018 10:40

Maria is not entirely clear either though. I think most people would say MaREEa, but a few will go for the version in which the middle syllable rhymes with eye.

Usually used for Black Maria, I suspect!

Fifthtimelucky · 05/04/2018 10:34

I have known many Maries (all English) over the years. Some pronounce it Marry, some MuREE and some MARee.

When hyphenated or used with another first name, I would always choose to pronounce it Marry (Marie Antoinette, Marie-Therese, Marie-Claire. Otherwise, I would make no assumptions and just ask how to pronounce it if necessary.

tinytemper66 · 05/04/2018 08:18

Mari is a welsh variant-pronounced Marry.

autumncountryrose · 05/04/2018 08:11

I’m a Marie!

Pronounced Muh Ree - never had any problems with pronunciation from other people.

ImListening · 05/04/2018 08:02

I know several Maria’s & Marie’s. I’m UK Greek & Maria is popular among the 40s plus. The younger generation is mainly Marie pronounced Muh-ree.

BertrandRussell · 05/04/2018 07:53

When you write Marry, do you mean like Marry Snog Avoid or more like Mahr-ree with a long a?

Frazzled2207 · 05/04/2018 07:49

Damn muh-REE

Frazzled2207 · 05/04/2018 07:48

Sorry typo
Much-REE

mathanxiety · 05/04/2018 07:33

Marie Eloise is gorgeous imo, to answer your last question.

mathanxiety · 05/04/2018 07:31

I pronounce it ma-REE.

I knew a lot of Marie-Othername combos as well as several Maries growing up in Dublin. The Marie-Othernames were MAH-ree (as in Marie-Louise, Marie-Elise, Marie-Estelle).

The standalone Maries were ma-REE, with only one exception who was MAH-ree, and when she moved to London she was constantly correcting people who pronounced her name ma-REE (until she gave up because life is too short).

In short, I think your H is wrong about this.

villainousbroodmare · 05/04/2018 01:36

I would pronounce it Muh REE but I'm Irish and know plenty of MAA rees.

Frazzled2207 · 04/04/2018 22:13

I like the Marry pronunciation. The welsh name Mari is pronounced like this (albeit with a rolled
R)

That said, round here all the Maries are mu-RER.

Nice name, due a revival imo

ReinettePompadour · 04/04/2018 22:04

I have 3 relatives with the name Marie. They all pronounce it differently despite being from the same county.

  1. Ma-ree 2)Mar (as in the word march) -ree 3)Marry

I prefer Ma-ree myself and it seems the most popular pronunciation that I've come across.

BunnyEars1 · 04/04/2018 21:56

Love love Maria.

Marie I in North London suburbs would pronounce-

Muh-ree as opposed to Ma-ree so not "Marry".

ayedidye · 04/04/2018 21:47

My sister is marie and all her life people have pronounced it mairi. We are in Scotland. It really winds her up.

I have a friend who's sister is maree, I had never seen that spelling before until I met her.

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