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Original poster

Naomi pronunciation

27 replies

sleepykittycats · 02/04/2025 14:56

If you are a Naomi or have a Naomi in your life, do people often pronounce it wrong and does it annoy you?

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Emanwenym · 03/04/2025 10:00

@SophieAnt ,me neither, and I think it's horrible. Shame, as it's a nice name.

SophieAnt · 03/04/2025 08:21

I prefer the traditional pronunciation with the emphasis on the first syllable but I think emphasising the second syllable is more common now. No idea why anyone is saying Nigh.

Katiesaidthat · 03/04/2025 08:19

PurpleChrayn · 02/04/2025 20:29

The Hebrew pronunciation is Nah-oh-mee or even Noh-oh-mee according to DH who is a native speaker and has studied the text. He calls our Naomi something closer to “Neh-oh-MEE.”

That´s how we prounceit in Spanish too, nah-oh-me.

EmotionallyWeird · 02/04/2025 20:41

I think the pronunciation has changed in my lifetime.

Everyone I've met with that name who would now be under about 55 has pronounced it Nay-OH-mi.

Older, it tended to be NAY-uh-mi. And my mum, who would have been 90 this year, said that although it was not a very common name when she was younger it was always said as NAY-uh-mi, including when talking about the Biblical character.

I've never met anyone who says Nye-OH-mi and I can't see how you get that out of the spelling.

PurpleChrayn · 02/04/2025 20:29

The Hebrew pronunciation is Nah-oh-mee or even Noh-oh-mee according to DH who is a native speaker and has studied the text. He calls our Naomi something closer to “Neh-oh-MEE.”

username462025 · 02/04/2025 20:25

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

TheLemonOtter · 02/04/2025 19:57

I think the no-mi pronunciation is German?

Butterbeanbutterbo · 02/04/2025 17:29

one in my family says:
Nigh oh me in north of england
nami by small people
nay - oh - me of preference
nay -uh- me is least favourite

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 02/04/2025 17:27

Bradley28 · 02/04/2025 15:01

My sister is Naomi. We say it nay-o-me. Anything else just gets under my skin. I have to correct people who get it wrong.

I pronounce it this way too

AaaahBlandsHatch · 02/04/2025 17:26

I'm sure I've also heard the odd NO-me. Just me? Maybe a regional thing.

RogersOrganismicProcess · 02/04/2025 17:25

I know three:
Nay oh me
Nigh oh me
and
No me!

Left to my own devices I would go with the nigh oh me version, but I think that is because I have known the Nigh version person the longest 🙃

PurpleChrayn · 02/04/2025 17:21

My daughter is Naomi and she gets called Nigh-oh-mee relatively regularly. It’s mildly annoying. A lot of older people pronounce it Nehr-mee.

Emanwenym · 02/04/2025 17:12

I don't like Nigh-o-mi. it doesn't make sense. It's Naomi.

TeaRoseTallulah · 02/04/2025 17:06

Nay oh me , really dislike Nay OH me.

Twoshoesnewshoes · 02/04/2025 16:51

I know a Nay OH mee. And a NAY oh mee
no Nigh oh mee at all

PeachPumpkin · 02/04/2025 16:18

Nay OH me is how I say it in my head. Probably just as well I don’t know any Naomi’s as it sounds like I’ve been saying it wrong.

Moreteaandchocolate · 02/04/2025 16:17

I say Nay-OH-mi if I don’t know how someone likes it pronounced but will copy whatever they introduce themselves as.

BeaAndBen · 02/04/2025 15:53

Nigh-Oh-Mi, and I have known three

eyesoncctv · 02/04/2025 15:48

We have a Naomi in our family, pronounced NAY- OH- ME. (but I much prefer NIGH - OH - ME Smile)

Placetobeseen · 02/04/2025 15:40

There are two in my family (one by marriage) and they both pronounce it differently. One says NAY oh me and the other says NIGH oh me so I don't think there's a correct way.

Emanwenym · 02/04/2025 15:38

You can't really enforce one pronunciation, but you can try.
Some will insist on saying Eleanor as Ellen-OR and Catherine as Cath-er-EEN.

(and yes, it's annoying)

BootballJoy · 02/04/2025 15:16

Childhood friend NAY oh mee, emphasis on the first syllable so it almost sounds like Nair me, but later met several Nay OH mee.

Emanwenym · 02/04/2025 15:14

NAY-o-me but you'll get NIGH-uh-mi, Nigh-O-mi, Nay-O-mi etc

I have a friend but she goes by a 'nn' (Nimmy)

Velvian · 02/04/2025 15:06

Nay-oh-mee

Dithercats · 02/04/2025 15:03

I have a Naomi relative where 1 parent says nay-omi, and the other parent says Nigh-omi.

We don't actually know which one is right, so everyone just says it in their local accent 🤣 she answers to both!

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