Pronunciation dilemma

[AxelAbey]

How would you be pronouncing the name Esmée? Hubby and I expecting our arrival v soon. We like the pronunciation ‘Ez-May’ but are in disagreement as to how to spell it. The proposed alternative is Esmé

Esme is how I would spell it.

I think Esmée should get the EZ-may pronunciation you want.

I prefer Esme, pronounced EZ-me. If you spell it Esmé that's what you might get although some people will pronounce it as you want.

I've only seen it written Esme. I'd say ez-may but then ask as I know some use ez-me.

@DramaAlpaca

I think Esmée should get the EZ-may pronunciation you want.

I prefer Esme, pronounced EZ-me. If you spell it Esmé that's what you might get although some people will pronounce it as you want.

Actually, I would have said the exact opposite of this!

Sorry - I’m living up to my username!

It could be because I know an Esme whose name is pronounced Ez-May.

The two ‘e’s in Esmee make me think it should be pronounced Ez-Meeeee.

I know 1 Esme , ppl do pronounce it Ez-May.

I agree 100% with @DifficultBloodyWoman - exactly how I would pronounce the two.

Ez-may would be Esme

I wouldn't know how to pronounce Esmee but would start with Ez-me

So one gives a 'may' ending and the other 'me'.

@AxelAbey

How would you be pronouncing the name Esmée? Hubby and I expecting our arrival v soon. We like the pronunciation ‘Ez-May’ but are in disagreement as to how to spell it. The proposed alternative is Esmé

EZ-me because mee is not pronounced as may.

If you are in the UK I would avoid spelling any name that uses an accent as one will be explaining that every time you have to give the name and online entry may be problematic.
You might have to 'spell' it phonetically to get the correct pronunciation

Is it French? Is it like Rene vs Renee, (with accents that I can't be bothered to type)? The former is masculine and the latter, feminine.

In any case, whichever spelling, I would pronounce it Ez-may.

I used to know a family with an Ezmai which had the pronunciation you want,

I would say Ez-mee

Oh I just realised you meant Esmee, not Esme. I would probably pronounce Esmee as Ez-may, but Esme as Ez-mee.

I've taught a couple of children called Esmé. Both of them pronounced it ess-may. The accent makes the ay sound at the end, and it was more of a hard Ess at the start than Ez.

Read the title and thought 'dilemma- surely there's the only way to pronounce that...' .

I would think that Esme was Ez-may and Esmee was Ez-mee.

What ever pronouncement you prefer, she'll end up being called esie.

As pp said, avoid an accent.
Just spell it Esme, it's a common name now.
Every Esme I teach (quite a few in yr7 and yr8) is referred to as Ez-may.

I'd say both Ezmay because I know the accent on the e (é) gives an ay sound.

If i saw Esmee (which I don’t think I ever have) I’d think it was purposely spelled that way to be different from familiar Esme.
Esme - ez-May
Esmee - I’d waver and plump for ez-me but be unsure.

Esme = Ez-May
Esmee without the accident would probably think Ez-Mee
I’d go with the traditional spelling.

I would think that Esme was Ez-may and Esmee was Ez-mee.

So would I.

I know two Esme's one pronounced Ez-me and the other Ez-may

My DD has Esmé as one of her names and we say EZmay because that's how her grandmother says it and it's her first name so we say it a lot! ( poncy person hates being called granny). Until about 10 years ago I hate never heard the EZmee pronunciation. I also hadn't j til recently seen the alternative spelling with double e . I like it as a name and always had it on my list years before I met DH

@dementedpixie

I'd say both Ezmay because I know the accent on the e (é) gives an ay sound.

Yup