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Original poster

Aaron - pronunciation?

37 replies

DiazePam · 06/12/2009 22:31

SIL has a new DS, and she has decided to name him Aaron. After Elvis Aaron Presley.

She is adamant that the name is pronounced A-ran.

Everyone else (except MIL and other SIL) thinks it should be Air-on. Especially seeing as that is how Elvis's name was pronounced.

I think A-ran sounds a bit daft, especially in a thick scouse accent, as she has.

Who is right?

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mark808 · 16/12/2013 10:33

The correct pronunciation is Air-on. I went to school with 2 boys called Aaron pronounced Air-on. I think over the years the incorrect spelling has been used. If the name wanted is Arun then it should be spelled Arun or Arran or something that pronounces like that. Double A at the start of a word is pronounced Air. This isn't debatable it is the facts but the language evolves over time and as such the majority of people now call their children Aaron and say it Arun. It is incorrect but in today's language appears to now be correct.

StrictlyTory · 13/05/2010 18:28

I have only ever said Ah-Ron, noone has ever said their name is Air-On to me, that sounds very American.

thumbwitch · 12/05/2010 13:54

I would have said Air-un but have come across the Arr-un pronunciation as well.

Is your SIL determined to spell it Aaron? Spelling it Arran would get round the problem quite quickly.

ShowOfHands · 12/05/2010 13:49

Doesn't matter.

Your SIL has told you how to pronounce the child's name. You pronounce it that way whoever is 'right'.

treyiw3 · 12/05/2010 13:42

en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Aaron

Lovethesea · 12/05/2010 13:35

Growing up in the church I always heard it as Air-on which I thought was the original pn?

Arran would be Aa-run for me.

Rockbird · 12/05/2010 13:23

Any Aarons I know are Arruns. Air-on sounds daft and Elvis Air-on Presley sounds even more daft.

treyiw3 · 12/05/2010 11:25

Air-on

zaidagal · 12/05/2010 11:19

Im from new york city, and I knew quite a few Aarons, and they were Jewish, named for the biblical Aaron. They all pronounced it A-run, or like we say "Arran".

I have never heard of "Air-on" until I moved to the UK! Isnt that funny? Maybe in America its a regional thing, as well. In New York Aaron and Arran are pronounced the same.

Its a name that interests me, because my little Scottish boy is Arran for the island - I love the island version and the biblical version!

goingforitagain · 10/12/2009 13:56

Aaron would definitely be pronounced A-run here in ireland.
Air-on would be spelt Erin and I would associate more with a girls name

roisin · 09/12/2009 20:15

We have loads of boys in school (NW) called Aaron. Half of them are called Air-on, the other half are A-ran. They are always highly offended if you get it wrong.

I prefer Air-on personally.

truthisinthewine · 09/12/2009 20:15

I would pronounce A-ran but have heard it both ways.

Slimcognito · 09/12/2009 20:14

Yes. I mean Air-on but people usually mumble Air-un 'cos it's easier to say innit.

Slimcognito · 09/12/2009 20:13

However, surely Aaron is in general pronouced Air-un? All the Aarons I know have pronounced it that way.

FaintlyMacabre · 09/12/2009 20:12

The pronunciation is made clear in my Dad's favourite 'joke'.

'How do we know that Moses wore a wig?
Because sometimes he was seen with Aaron and sometimes without'

Having said that, IM(limited)E of Aarons, North Americans pronounce it A-ron, and the British say Air-on.

Slimcognito · 09/12/2009 20:05

If it's after Elvis then it is pronounced to rhyme with Darren. He was christened Elvis Aron Presley - the extra "a" was added later by himself, but it was still pronounced to rhyme with Darren.

5inthesleighbed · 09/12/2009 20:00

A-ron. And I'm up north, and it's also the name of DS1. I don't like it when it's announced Air-on

georgiemum · 09/12/2009 19:59

AhRon. Arran is an island. A Ran is a bit harsh sounding.

BexieID · 09/12/2009 19:57

My brother went to school with a boy named Aaron (p/n airun). It wasn't until I started work that I heard it p/m arran. A friend has recently had twins, Aidan and Aaron (p/n arran).

PrincessToadstool · 08/12/2009 19:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BellsaRinging · 08/12/2009 19:08

I agree with Betty, the Hebrew pronunciation is Air-on, I think, but here it's Arr-on, according to the 2 people I know with sons named this (I'm in West Mids).

BettyButterknife · 08/12/2009 19:03

Oh it should definitely be pronounced Air-on. Which I think is slightly harder to say than A-run, but is the proper pronunciation.

biglips · 06/12/2009 23:16

i live in liverpool (but from the Wirral) and as you said that your SIL got a strong scouse accent - then yes it wud sounds like A-ran but its actually A-ron

biglips · 06/12/2009 23:14

A-ron

humptynumpty · 06/12/2009 23:12

Well, we live overlooking the Isle of Arran, pronounced A-Ron
But I always thought Aaron was pronounced Air-un. However there is a kid in Ds's class called A-Ron.
So guess it's personal choice. I googled baby names and it says should be pronounced Air-un.