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Baby names

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Original poster

ASA - how would pronounce this name?

165 replies

lostinmusic123 · 22/09/2024 21:27

Love this name for a boy.

Are we going to get lots of "Azza" and "Ass-a" pronouncing?

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BoilingHotand50something · 23/09/2024 15:01

Mumsnet at its finest. You are asked how you would pronounce something. You answer honestly and then you get told off for a) not knowing the bible b) not knowing the famous people with this name c) not being from Yorkshire. And then many many explanations as to why what you have said doesn’t make any sense due to language rules of a language that has many, many nonsensical exceptions.

I wouldn’t know how to say it because I am a Southern, uncultured atheist! But I would guess

Ah - Sah

SileSeilide · 23/09/2024 14:50

HoratioNightboy · 23/09/2024 13:59

But they're followed by two consonants, which give the ah sound. A single consonant gives the "ay" sound to a preceding letter A. Of course there will always be the odd exception but it seems rather singular not to apply a rule because a few exceptions exist.

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Not as singular as applying English language spelling and pronunciation rules to a name from another language...

similarminimer · 23/09/2024 14:46

I prounce it somewhere between Acer and (R)azor

Shinyandnew1 · 23/09/2024 14:36

Asa Butterfield is ‘Acer’. I like it.

WeAreNotCookingTheSpoon · 23/09/2024 14:14

Acer. Was at school with a boy with this name. That’s how he said it.

HotCrossBunplease · 23/09/2024 14:11

It doesn’t look like an English name though, so people would not instinctively apply English conventions when reading it.

HoratioNightboy · 23/09/2024 13:59

SileSeilide · 23/09/2024 10:02

@TallulahBetty Loads of 'as' words don't make an 'ay' sound...it's not intuitive. What about astronomy or aspire for example.

But they're followed by two consonants, which give the ah sound. A single consonant gives the "ay" sound to a preceding letter A. Of course there will always be the odd exception but it seems rather singular not to apply a rule because a few exceptions exist.

Swissvisa · 23/09/2024 12:16

GraceOMalleyReturns · 22/09/2024 21:28

I’d assume ‘Ass-A’

Same

SunnyDaySummer · 23/09/2024 11:18

Assumed Ass-ah. Never seen it before, my first thought was it could be an Indian or Middle Eastern name.

deeahgwitch · 23/09/2024 11:06

I'd pronounce it Ass ah.
I'm Irish, living in Ireland.

Button28384738 · 23/09/2024 10:03

I would say "ace-a"

SileSeilide · 23/09/2024 10:02

@TallulahBetty Loads of 'as' words don't make an 'ay' sound...it's not intuitive. What about astronomy or aspire for example.

Summertimer · 23/09/2024 10:01

Toottooot · 22/09/2024 21:28

Ay-sa

This, like the historian Asa Briggs

fridaynight1 · 23/09/2024 10:00

Acer as in tree.
I can’t imagine many saying Asser because there is only one s.

SileSeilide · 23/09/2024 09:56

TallulahBetty · 23/09/2024 09:45

Ace-a.

Those saying Assa, why? They aren't two Ss

Maybe they say it as such to rhyme with NASA as that's a well known pronunciation.

Shinyandnew1 · 23/09/2024 09:56

Acer

HotCrossBunplease · 23/09/2024 09:51

Jacksfesteringresentment · 23/09/2024 09:40

I thought Ass-a.

Not sure where people are getting r's from in a name with two letters!

You need to think of how a person with an accent like Cockney or Surrey would say “Acer”. The “r” is silent but it makes the vowel a sort of “ah” sound.

It’s not the best way to denote pronunciation because it confuses people who roll their “r”s (aka rhotic speakers) but it’s a common way of trying to explain on boards where a lot of people have a non-rhotic accent. I’m rhotic but used to it now.

TallulahBetty · 23/09/2024 09:45

Ace-a.

Those saying Assa, why? They aren't two Ss

Jacksfesteringresentment · 23/09/2024 09:40

I thought Ass-a.

Not sure where people are getting r's from in a name with two letters!

ImNotYourMonstera · 23/09/2024 09:33

I'd guess Ah-Sah. Ace-a-spades is hilarious 😄

AuntieStella · 23/09/2024 09:27

Sunplanner · 22/09/2024 22:23

The only one I know of is Asa Briggs, late/great historian.

Ditto!

Definitely Aysa

HotCrossBunplease · 23/09/2024 09:11

Ay-sa has even stress on both syllables.

Ace-a/Acer has a stronger stress on the “Ace” bit that than “a”.

To my ear anyway.

FeedingThem · 23/09/2024 09:10

Never heard it so ass-a but I generally only need telling once the correct pronunciation

Fontainebleau007 · 23/09/2024 09:06

Ass-a

SileSeilide · 23/09/2024 08:27

timoteigirl · 23/09/2024 08:08

Came to say exactly this. But surely Asa Butterfield is famous enough so when people hear / see this name, they would copy how his name is said?

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I've heard of him (just about) but have only ever seen his name written which doesn't exactly help...

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