Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

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

Original poster

Esme pronunciation

136 replies

Buddhabowl · 17/01/2022 13:56

If you don't mind could you tell me how you would pronounce Esme and whereabouts you live? I like Ezmee but DH has only heard Ezmay.
I like both but just want to use a pronunciation that is least likely to be pronounced incorrectly.
I'm in the South East and until recently had only heard Ezmee but I'm getting the impression up north it is always Ezmay.
If it's too contentious I think we might go with Daphne instead!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Calennig · 17/01/2022 15:37

DH and I have lived all over England - north midlands south - we thought Ezmee was more common version but had heard Ezamy (I thought it was spelt differently but hadn't checked).

Ezmay is more common here in South Wales but they will use Esmee and definetly do when asked to.

Only West midlands was odd insisting on Ezmay despite saying it was Ezmee for that person.

mocktail · 17/01/2022 15:37

Ezmay (south west)

WeasilyPleased · 17/01/2022 15:35

Esmay and tbh I personally prefer Daphne!

GemmaRuby · 17/01/2022 15:34

I much prefer Daphne, lovely name.

gogohm · 17/01/2022 15:32

Ez May

I've known a couple one in London one in Derby

HeronLanyon · 17/01/2022 15:30

Ez- may. London here.
Have heard both various parts of country. Have never thought it was solely a regional thing ?

TheWordWomanIsTaken · 17/01/2022 15:25

Esme - south east
Es-mae does not sound right to my ear at all

MONSTERSALAD · 17/01/2022 15:20

Esme - ez-mee
Esmé - ez-may

Although in practice I would default to ez-may because that seems to be more common now. But I'll always be thinking ez-mee.

DramaAlpaca · 17/01/2022 15:04

Disclaimer - I've never met one. I'd want to pronounce it EZ-mee, I don't like EZ-may. I'm Northern originally but don't live in the UK now.

bearlegged · 17/01/2022 15:02

Esmee here - South East. If it was Esmay I would expect an accent.

Blubells · 17/01/2022 14:53

In English Esmee is just as valid as Esmay.

Because neither sound like Esmé.

You might as well spell it Esmae or Esmay to make the pronunciation clear.

MeredithGreyishblue · 17/01/2022 14:53

The French would have a slightly shorter vowel sound than if we finished with -may

Kitkat151 · 17/01/2022 14:50

@LaChanticleer

Sorry but Es-mee will make you sound illiterate.
Depends where you live....Esmay would make you sound illiterate where I am
MrsTerryPratchett · 17/01/2022 14:48

It's worth the slight inconvenience. So much better than Daphne.

Ezmay - London.

MeredithGreyishblue · 17/01/2022 14:48

I know an Es-me here in Lancs

LaChanticleer · 17/01/2022 14:47

Sorry but Es-mee will make you sound illiterate.

Heckythump1 · 17/01/2022 14:45

All the Esme's I know pronounce it Ezmay.... I actually know one who even spells it Ezmay :P

stingofthebutterfly · 17/01/2022 14:45

I know an Esme in her 60s who pronounces it Ez mi. That's in Yorkshire. I've also heard ez may but spelled Esmae.

Bitzandbobsbitzandbobs · 17/01/2022 14:44

Essmee

North of England, there's about 12 in my daughters year so we hear it a lot.

ElenaCouch · 17/01/2022 14:42

Ez- may. Midlands

mugoftea456 · 17/01/2022 14:31

Ez may.

LavenderRosemary · 17/01/2022 14:30

Ezmay. South East.

LadyEloise1 · 17/01/2022 14:24

Ezmay. Ireland

LondonWolf · 17/01/2022 14:24

Ezmee- south east. It was a contender for dd and would have been pronounced like that.

germsandcoffee · 17/01/2022 14:23

I'm up north and it's pronounced ezmay by everyone I know