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How would you pronounce Anthony?

133 replies

igglepiggle599 · 25/02/2025 22:16

I'd love to use the name 'Anthony', but I've heard a lot of people (especially in the States) pronounce it using the 'h', which I really dislike. Is this likely to be a common problem?

I do get very bothered by certain pronunciations. I've already ruled out the name 'Anastasia' because I hate the way many people pronounce it with four syllables (An-uh-stay-zhuh instead of An-ah-stay-see-ah).

I'm aware that it can also be spelled 'Antony', but it just doesn't look quite right to me!

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PandaTime · 26/02/2025 04:24

Sco'ish here. All the Anthonys I know are Anth-ony and Anth for short.

username462025 · 26/02/2025 02:28

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gettingthehangofsewing · 26/02/2025 01:53

I'm from the north I know a couple of Anthony's we pronounce it An-f-ni (ni like in nit)

So ne gets called Tony a lot

Gruttenberg · 26/02/2025 01:49

SwedishEdith · 25/02/2025 22:30

I do know of one who shortens his name to Anth but he's quite pretentious.

I knew an Anastasia which was pronounced as Anna Stay Shuh - shortened to Stay Shuh.

its Anthony pronounced with a Th here, and always shortened to Anth - no one is known as Tony now. Edited to say strong working class area so definitely bit a pretentious pronunciation 😁

JennySayQuoi · 26/02/2025 01:37

My dad is Anthony, we don't pronounce the h (UK). Tony for short, so I suppose it's obvious to people in his case

WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco · 26/02/2025 01:29

If I was thinking about names, it would be Pan for a boy and Saoirse for a girl.

BrownTroutBluesAgain · 26/02/2025 01:17

I wouldn’t pronounce it as a th

AnT o nee

Or tbh I’d just say Ant
or Tony.
if they were shortening the name .

Ps. Anastasia is one of our big family names. If family on one side have a girl it’s either
Anastasia or Johanna…going way back down the line.

selffellatingouroborosofhate · 26/02/2025 01:15

The two Anthonies I know are both ANTH-o-nee, shortened to Anth. If you want a hard T, use the spelling that omits the H.

WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco · 26/02/2025 01:10

Toolatenotdone · 26/02/2025 01:07

Yes, but that was pp’s point.
The UK isn’t just England.

I know 🤣. I'll shut up now. But I fucking hate Bonfire night.

Toolatenotdone · 26/02/2025 01:07

WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco · 26/02/2025 01:05

And as much as people like it or not, Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

Yes, but that was pp’s point.
The UK isn’t just England.

WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco · 26/02/2025 01:05

Toolatenotdone · 26/02/2025 00:50

@WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco

PP was making a point about people typically making England the ‘default’ country for the UK and assuming what happens in England happens UK-wide.

It doesn’t, as her NI examples clearly show.

And as much as people like it or not, Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco · 26/02/2025 01:01

Toolatenotdone · 26/02/2025 00:50

@WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco

PP was making a point about people typically making England the ‘default’ country for the UK and assuming what happens in England happens UK-wide.

It doesn’t, as her NI examples clearly show.

I get that, and I will think on. The thread was about a bloody name though. I say Antony with my English accent, and my ROI born family say Anthony (Anthonee), much more beautiful than our pronunciation in the UK imo.

What bonfire night and Halloween has to do with it, I missed.

Maxorias · 26/02/2025 01:00

I really like Antony, like the roman general. Not sure where the h in Anthony sprang from but it can go right back there afaic.

Toolatenotdone · 26/02/2025 00:50

@WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco

PP was making a point about people typically making England the ‘default’ country for the UK and assuming what happens in England happens UK-wide.

It doesn’t, as her NI examples clearly show.

user1471522343 · 26/02/2025 00:46

I’d also pronounce the ‘th’.
I’m Scorrish.

Toolatenotdone · 26/02/2025 00:35

Nanny0gg · 26/02/2025 00:03

Nov 5th is Guy Fawkes here
Halloween is Oct 31st (All Hallows Eve)

Surely the dates are the same in Scotland and Ireland?

Nov 5th isn’t celebrated in ROI for obvious reasons. Not sure about NI or Scotland.

Sillybillyawards · 26/02/2025 00:33

North-east England here. In my area we pronounce it An-thun-ee- the American way.

WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco · 26/02/2025 00:18

ChessorBuckaroo · 25/02/2025 23:27

People in the UK pronounce the word CAR with an r ending. I have never heard anyone in the UK pronounce it with a silent r, "ca" for example doesn't happen.

Nobody in the UK marks November 5th either. We have only ever celebrated Halloween here.

In the UK we have St Patrick's Day, celebrating Patrick our national saint.

In the UK our national colour is green.

The UK full breakfast is known as an "Ulster Fry". Essential ingredients in a fry up are potato bread and soda farl (have never known anyone in the UK not to have either of those in it).

Etc etc.

I don't understand your comment.

Yes, we pronounce car as car, unless you are talking about a Ka.

Every selfish fucker celebrates the 5th November, aka bonfire night. I hate the fuckers because I have had rescue dogs who are petrified but that is another thread. Halloween is celebrated at the end of October.

We don't celebrate St George's Day in England (no bank holiday).

hereismydog · 26/02/2025 00:10

My brother is an Anthony, pronounced Antony or Ant-knee by all of our family in Ireland!

Enough4me · 26/02/2025 00:07

I'd say it with a hard T, AnT-o-knee but in the SouthWest where I live I have heard a softened version Ant-A-knee.

deeahgwitch · 26/02/2025 00:05

In a real Dublin accent it would be
Ant knee 😀

Nanny0gg · 26/02/2025 00:03

ChessorBuckaroo · 25/02/2025 22:39

The UK is not England.

This is like those Halloween threads when the English and their November 5th custom (which we in Northern Ireland have never celebrated unlike Halloween which is from here (and Scotland)) think they speak for the rest of us.

My brother is called Anthony. An-thon-ney.

Nov 5th is Guy Fawkes here
Halloween is Oct 31st (All Hallows Eve)

Surely the dates are the same in Scotland and Ireland?

Nanny0gg · 25/02/2025 23:59

SkaneTos · 25/02/2025 22:19

(English is not my first language).

Question
So in the UK, the name "Anthony" is pronounced "Antony"?

Yes

DeepFatFried · 25/02/2025 23:53

I would pronounce it with a T not th.

And spell it Anthony.

As in Anthony and Cleopatra.

Giggorata · 25/02/2025 23:39

From south east and always heard Anthony with a hard t.
Then moved further north to the Shires and we have it with the th pronunciation. I don't like it, so don't do it.