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Baby names

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Original poster

How would you pronounce..

41 replies

Mseddy · 28/01/2021 11:32

Alma??

It's my nan's middle name so I know how it should be pronounced, but there are two ways people do tend to pronounce it I'm curious which is more popular. I know their is a fair bit of dislike for this name (I've searched other mumsnet posts on it) but the familial link and the fact I like it are enough to make it a real contender for us.

So would you pronounce it as
1 - Al-mah (like the Al from Alan)

Or

2- Ol-mah (as is the ol sound from ollie)

Thanks :)

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Screenburn · 28/01/2021 17:38

Definitely a scouse thing!

TerriblyTiiiired · 28/01/2021 14:49

Al-ma like her off Corrie

crabette · 28/01/2021 14:48

Al-ma, definitely. May be showing my age here but I'm sure there was an old lady Alma in Neighbours years ago, and it was definitely Al!

Whatsyourflava · 28/01/2021 14:21

Love it

Number 1 is the way it's pronounced I'd say

JaninaDuszejko · 28/01/2021 14:04

My Mum is from Aberdeenshire and says Mololm instead of Malcolm. When Annie Lennox was on Who Do You Think You Are she said bolcony instead of balcony. But AL is from Aberdeen itself so it's not a rural/town split I don't think.

andysdinousaur · 28/01/2021 13:56

It's just the accent.
My MIL says Olfie instead of Alfie.

Riapia · 28/01/2021 13:50

In Y2 DD said there was a new girl at school named “Bra-knee”
Her name was Bryony.

partyatthepalace · 28/01/2021 13:28

Al-mah

Never heard it said any other way. Fine as a middle name!

Whyistheteacold · 28/01/2021 13:20

Am I common? I would pronounce it UL-mu

Incyra · 28/01/2021 13:07

Such a beautiful name. I know one and she is a lovely girl.

I pronounce it - Ul - MA

I think I must be wierd!

ProudAuntie76 · 28/01/2021 13:04

@Anoisagusaris

I’m Irish and would definitely pronounce it Al-ma. The A sound in Irish accents is must flatter that British accents, i think. I’m not seeing why Irish people would pronounce it Ol-ma?
The only reason I said that is because DH and my in-laws (they live about an hour from Dublin close to the border with NI) all say “Olmond milk” “Oldi” etc for Almond Milk and Aldi etc and there are other Al things they pronounce as Ol but they are the only people I’ve ever come across who do this!
FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 12:53

@RaraRachael

Fatkinsdiet I'm not all that far from Fraserburgh and speak Doric and home but they have work we wouldn't use like - spick/speak wick/week We got a new pupil from the Fraserburgh area and she came out in front of the class to tell what she'd got for her birthday. She said "new bricks" so I just said "Oh that's nice" wondering why she'd got bricks for a present. Then realised she meant breeks (trousers) Grin
Ah I love it! She said (what I think are?) standard doric words, like she said she had two loonies and was making sausages with champit (sp?) for dinner. She never said Fraserburgh, it was always "the brough". God I miss Scotland Smile.
Anoisagusaris · 28/01/2021 12:33

I’m Irish and would definitely pronounce it Al-ma. The A sound in Irish accents is must flatter that British accents, i think. I’m not seeing why Irish people would pronounce it Ol-ma?

RaraRachael · 28/01/2021 12:28

Fatkinsdiet I'm not all that far from Fraserburgh and speak Doric and home but they have work we wouldn't use like -
spick/speak
wick/week
We got a new pupil from the Fraserburgh area and she came out in front of the class to tell what she'd got for her birthday. She said "new bricks" so I just said "Oh that's nice" wondering why she'd got bricks for a present. Then realised she meant breeks (trousers) Grin

FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 12:21

Oh, interesting @RaraRachael! She was from Fraserbrough (sp?) and used the Doric and everything, so I'm sure that is her original accent iyswim. Maybe just a personal quirk!

RuthW · 28/01/2021 12:18

It's Al-mar

Iwantmychairback · 28/01/2021 12:17

I would say Al - ma

I also say Al -di

But almond I say as Ol mond.

Think I’m a little bit mixed up

RaraRachael · 28/01/2021 12:16

@FatkinsDiet

I think maybe in an Aberdonian accent it would be Olma?

I used to live there and my lovely boss used to tell me to take that to the sconner to scon it. (Scanner to scan it). She was actually from aberdeenshire though, not the city.

That's my accent and I definitely wouldn't say Olma.

Scon/sconner doesn't sounds Aberdeenshire at all. It sounds more south of Scotland where they say hauns for hands - I'd say hans

Original poster
Mseddy · 28/01/2021 12:09

@EspressoPatronum

Does she call almonds olmonds as well??

Love the name Alma ❤️

Yeah she does and I would too. My DH isn't from near Liverpool so he's an ALdi Almonds kind of person where as I am oldi and olmonds!
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Original poster
Mseddy · 28/01/2021 12:07

@davidsSchitt

This is like Aldi.

Mil thinks she's posh and goes to Oldi Grin

I've never thought if the aldi oldi pronunciation as similar but I guess it is! I don't live near Liverpool anymore but back home it's certainly oldi not aldi! Maybe it is colloquial. Given my child will be raised away from Liverpool it's likely they will be pronounced Al-mah not ol-mah I guess. Works for me! They can decide on pronunciation as soon as they are old enough to make a choice.
OP posts:
FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 12:06

Oh, except 'calm' which I just say like cam.

FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 12:05

@bourbonne

I do think "Al-ma" is a bit of an awkward one to say. It goes against instinct (and no, I'm not Irish or from Liverpool). Most words with "alm" have become "ahm", like almshouse, alms, almond, calm.
I'm irish and I would say all those words like Al from Alan Grin. Funny how accents work.
EspressoPatronum · 28/01/2021 12:03

Does she call almonds olmonds as well??

Love the name Alma ❤️

davidsSchitt · 28/01/2021 12:03

This is like Aldi.

Mil thinks she's posh and goes to Oldi Grin

bourbonne · 28/01/2021 12:02

I do think "Al-ma" is a bit of an awkward one to say. It goes against instinct (and no, I'm not Irish or from Liverpool). Most words with "alm" have become "ahm", like almshouse, alms, almond, calm.

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