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

Would you pronounce Esme - Es-me or Es-may?

69 replies

Minicooper · 08/08/2009 10:11

I know it depends on whether you use an accent, but just wondering. Think I prefer Es-me, but Es-may is prob the original pronunication. And how popular is it in your neck of the woods?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
NotanOtter · 08/08/2009 21:15

i say es may but most are es me

SloogBoog · 08/08/2009 21:15

My 3 year old is Esme (with an acute accent on final e - can't find it on this computer!) Therefore, it is pronounced Ez-may. It's usually pronounced Es-me without the accent. My daughter's named after the main character in a short story - For Esme with Love and Squalor by JD Salinger.

The accent version is originally French and came over, I believe. So I guess you can have either/or depending on whether you use the accent (took a while for my partner to come round to the poncey accent!!)

Esmee · 08/08/2009 21:04

I know one, and she's pronounced EZ-may.

Original poster
Minicooper · 08/08/2009 19:25

Thanks, everyone. Divided opinion, unsurprisingly, but we'd obviously get away with Es-me if we chose it. Obviously we'll have a boy now

OP posts:
happyjules · 08/08/2009 15:55

Es-me. I have an aunt of that name, it's lovely.

giraffesCanRunA10k · 08/08/2009 12:16

es-me

juuule · 08/08/2009 12:15

It's Ez-meh round here.

PuppyMonkey · 08/08/2009 12:11

I have an Ez..mee. Definitely don't like Esmay and get cross if people pronounce it like that. But not many people do actually so that's all right!

She is two now and we have only ever met one other Esme.

RedDeadFail · 08/08/2009 12:09

Seen this thread on here a couple of times before. Opinion always divided with the general argument being that -me is the original. Prefer -may that said.

JulesJules · 08/08/2009 12:06

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

cece · 08/08/2009 11:56

I have an Es-me, she quite often gets Esmay. She doesn't seem to mind as she says she quite likes it as well. I would add that when we named her no one had heard of it but where we live now there are quite a lot of Esmes and one Esmay. (All younger than mine I would add!)

Ondine · 08/08/2009 11:30

I would always pronouce it as Es-me unless there is an accent i.e. Esmé or Esmée.

GwarchodwrPlant · 08/08/2009 10:38

Es-may.

Tidey · 08/08/2009 10:32

I've only ever known one person called it, but it was Es-me, she got rather fed up if people said Es-may.

KingRolo · 08/08/2009 10:31

-me

edam · 08/08/2009 10:27

Ez-mee - at least, that's how we always pronounced my cat's name. Vague memory that Ez-may is a Scottish pronunciation but could have that wrong.

There was a little girl of that name in nursery with ds.

bronze · 08/08/2009 10:24

-me

don't know any. Know of a couple. Pretty name

Deemented · 08/08/2009 10:20

I went to school wsith a girl called Esme, and it was always Es-me.

stripes200 · 08/08/2009 10:18

Es-me.

I don't know any little ones called Esme.