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Baby names

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

Original poster

Am I pronouncing this name correctly?

194 replies

Maybree · 16/10/2021 16:29

Our daughter is due on December 6th and we’ve decided to name her Alana. We will pronounce the name “Ah-lar-na”. I haven’t come across many people with this name so I just wanted to check.

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girlmom21 · 16/10/2021 18:23

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...Confused
Where in the world are you? That's an American pronunciation isn't it? Or to be fair I can hear it in an Australian or a South African accent in my head.

I've never heard an English person say BA-NA-NA. It's absolutely ba-bar-na.

3catsandcounting · 16/10/2021 18:22

Oh god, sorry! I didn't want to start a banana debate! My apologies.

EdgeOfTheSky · 16/10/2021 18:20

I would pronounce it to rhyme with sultana.

heyyellowyellow · 16/10/2021 18:20

Ah-laaaan-ah regardless of the spelling. Taught many, many lovely Alannahs, it’s a really nice name.

NannyR · 16/10/2021 18:19

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...Confused
So each "a" has the same sound? Or does the middle a have a longer sound? I've never heard anyone say banana with three short a sounds. In a lot of accents, that middle na sounds the same as car. I would pronounce Alana to rhyme with banana, same as Lana and Alanna/h to rhyme with Anna.
Foxglovers · 16/10/2021 18:14

I know a few people with this name - all pronounced Ah-larn-ah. Seems strange to me people would pronounce it any other way? I can’t imagine there would be any issues

lawofdistraction · 16/10/2021 18:09

Surely it depends on whether you spell the name with one l or two.

Alana - ah lar na, rhymes with banana.

Alanna(h) - ah lan ah, rhymes with hannah

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 16/10/2021 18:04

@LilacSloth

I used to know an Alanna and she went round telling everyone her name rhymes with spanner not banana to help them get it right.
That really hurts my head!
HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 16/10/2021 18:04

Oh joy another ‘ah’ vs, ‘ar’ thread.............sorry OP you’re likely to have an absolute bun fight on your hands over the weekend!

It’s pronounced with an ‘ah’ sound as in do-re-mi- fa

Also it’s a great name!

LilacSloth · 16/10/2021 18:04

I used to know an Alanna and she went round telling everyone her name rhymes with spanner not banana to help them get it right.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 16/10/2021 18:01

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...Confused
Pretty much everyone where I live. It’s very regional.
SylvanasWindrunner · 16/10/2021 17:58

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...Confused
Wurzel Gummidge.

But people are using 'r' to mean a long 'ahhh' sound that is common in quite a lot of parts in England. When non-Rhotic speakers say 'car' they pronounce it sort of like 'caaaah', no hard R at the end. When I, a Rhotic speaker, say 'car', it has a distinguishable 'r' at the end. So when people use 'r' to mean 'ahhh' it makes me do a double take as it all sounds like a caricature of a West Country farmer because I actually say 'r' Grin

ThePoisonousMushroom · 16/10/2021 17:58

I say ba nar na, because I have a non rhotic accent.

wallysally · 16/10/2021 17:54

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...Confused

CeeceeBloomingdale · 16/10/2021 17:50

@3catsandcounting

I'd say A-lah-na. The ones I've known have always pronounced it like that. Banana - there's no 'r' in it, but we don't say ba-na-na, we say ba-nar-na.
I concur
SylvanasWindrunner · 16/10/2021 17:44

Anyone else singing Alaynas and Banaynies to the Apples and Bananas song? Grin

wallysally · 16/10/2021 17:43

@Maybree

Where in the world is the R coming from

It's either

A-la-na

Or

A-lay-na

It's very simple Hmm

PartyStory · 16/10/2021 17:40

I’m Scottish and the Alana I knew was “a-la-na”. All 3 syllables had a soft “a” like “apple”. I’m not sure how she spelt it though.

SylvanasWindrunner · 16/10/2021 17:38

@3catsandcounting

I'd say A-lah-na. The ones I've known have always pronounced it like that. Banana - there's no 'r' in it, but we don't say ba-na-na, we say ba-nar-na.
Who's we? I say ba-na-na. So do most people I know because we are Scottish.
Pinkginlover · 16/10/2021 17:36

I know an Alana ,pronounced Al-anna.
Not sure if the different pronunciations are regional.

3catsandcounting · 16/10/2021 17:35

I'd say A-lah-na. The ones I've known have always pronounced it like that.
Banana - there's no 'r' in it, but we don't say ba-na-na, we say ba-nar-na.

Redredwiney · 16/10/2021 17:30

I’ve met two Alanas and they’ve both pronounced it your way.

It’s an accent / regional thing as my Scottish husband would pronounce it that other way.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 16/10/2021 17:27

To all those worried about the "r", it would be one of those English ones that sounds like "h".

emwithme · 16/10/2021 17:26

A as in apple
Lah as in a note to follow sew
Na as in napple.

Alana

TheYearOfSmallThings · 16/10/2021 17:25

In Ireland it's pronounced a-lanna. However it seems to be more common outside Ireland, and the A-lah-na form is accepted there.

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