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Original poster

How would you pronounce Zana ?

438 replies

RoseApp · 18/09/2024 18:38

My friend assumed people would pronounce her child’s name Zana like Zah-nah as in Suzanna but several people have pronounced it as Zar-na

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rosesareredvioletsareblueaimverytiredandsoareyou · 18/09/2024 19:21

Za-na (or Tsa-na).
If it's supposed to be Zay-na, then spell it Zayna.
It's definitely not Zar-na because there's no r in it.

springtome · 18/09/2024 19:17

Żar-na similar to Sara (not Sarah).

blackrabbitwhiterabbit · 18/09/2024 19:16

Zar-na

PoodlesRUs · 18/09/2024 19:15

Oooh there must have been a keyword in my above post! Zah-na like the brand name of alprazolam. That is less helpful because you may need to google the brand name 😂but you'll recognise it and know the pronunciation I mean!

PoodlesRUs · 18/09/2024 19:13

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Notaphilosopher · 18/09/2024 19:12

Zah-nah

JustDeserts · 18/09/2024 19:11

Like Zarna and rhymes with Lana and Banana. Or Zayna

VisitationRights · 18/09/2024 19:11

Za-nah so similar to Susana

PurBal · 18/09/2024 19:09

Zar-na

MumblesParty · 18/09/2024 19:09

Zar Na

Coffeeandcrocs · 18/09/2024 19:08

I know two Zanas, both pronounced zahn-uh, rhymes with banana

Down south if that helps!

LePetitMaman · 18/09/2024 19:08

Moveoverdarlin · 18/09/2024 18:57

Zarn-nah, but it’s the sort of name I’d read several times, panic how to pronounce it, try a few options in my head and then go for Zarn-nah, but I would say it tentatively.

Edited

Exactly this.

If she wanted the Suzanna sound then she should have spelt it double n.

Of all the connotations, Zanna is the only way I'd never guess to pronounce it. Because you typically only get that sound with a double n.

Mikunia · 18/09/2024 19:06

SnapdragonToadflax · 18/09/2024 18:55

Probably Zar-na? I'm southern. It would need to be spelled Zanna to get your friend's pronunciation.

This. It needs a double consonant to achieve the pronunciation your friend wants, in English.

paristotokyo · 18/09/2024 19:05

Zar-na

HotCrossBunplease · 18/09/2024 19:04

If asked to guess I’d say Zay na. (So neither of the two options you give.)

If written Zanna then I’d automatically pronounce it as your friend wants.

However if I was told that it was Zah-na then I’d not think that was a particularly weird pronounciation. It rhymes with Lana (as in Turner) after all.

BobbyBiscuits · 18/09/2024 19:03

I'd say it wouldn't be immediately obvious. I guess I'd go for 'zar-nah' then second guess 'zann-ah'. But I'd probably start by asking how they pronounce it.

CurlewKate · 18/09/2024 19:03

I would say it like Zara but with an n.

MazeRunner · 18/09/2024 19:02

Zah-na

AmeliaEarache · 18/09/2024 19:01

I'd gues Zana-rhymes-with-Lana

Second guess would be Zay-na

miffmufferedmoof · 18/09/2024 19:00

I would think probably Zarna (non rhotic accent), or possibly Zayna. It would need double N to be like in Susanna

OnlyWhenILaugh · 18/09/2024 18:59

I think there are 3 possibles for the first vowel
Zay to rhyme with pay i.e zayna
Zah to rhyme with (Grand)pa
Zan to rhyme with can

OP has used zah to rhyme with Suzanna which has confused things as well as using the ar spelling which in some but not all accents rhymes with (Grand)pa

goingtotown · 18/09/2024 18:58

Zan a

Jasperj · 18/09/2024 18:58

Dolliesdisasterousdayout · 18/09/2024 18:40

Zay na

It’s very pretty when pronounced properly though!

Same - I read it as the feminine version of Zane.

Moveoverdarlin · 18/09/2024 18:57

Zarn-nah, but it’s the sort of name I’d read several times, panic how to pronounce it, try a few options in my head and then go for Zarn-nah, but I would say it tentatively.

SnapdragonToadflax · 18/09/2024 18:55

Probably Zar-na? I'm southern. It would need to be spelled Zanna to get your friend's pronunciation.