Esme - correct pronounciation?

[kaymondo]

Is it Es-mee or Es-may?

I always say Es-may but not sure if that's right. Quite like it for a girl but need to make sure I'm sayimg it properly before I mention it to DH!

They're both right. I prefer es-may but some prefer es-mee.

My friend's little girl is most certainly an Es-mee.

I knew a friend of the queen mum once called Esme. She pronounced it Es-mee. :)

I know both. I think 'Es-mee' is Scottish and 'Es-may' is French? Someone may be along to correct me on that, though!

I prefer Es-may, but use which ever you like best.

Both "right", an accent over the E helps if you want the Esmay pronunciation.

I prefer Esmee but that's possibly because I had a South African colleague called Esmay and I always here that pronunciation in an SA accent!

Lovely name btw

Thanks all - do you think I can get away with it despite the twilight connection?

I think the Twilight connection is way overstated. I've never seen the films or read the books, lots of people haven't. A name like Esme will outsee the latest teen fiction fad.

Esme is a lovely name. As BirdoftheNorth says Esmé helps to ensure the Esmay pronunciation (but ime only with speakers of French & that's if you are lucky)

There tends to be a 50/50 spilt on pronunciation otherwise. I prefer the Pratchett connection if you're going to be inspired by books but there is always the J.D Salinger option too :)

I think the correct pronounciation of Esme (its french and should have an accent on the e) is Ez May. If you wanted it to sound like Esmee it can be spelt Esmee (accent on the first e). I think though its one of those names that some people pronounce Esme as es-may and others Esmee so if you use it your daughter may have to correct people quite a lot!. Its a v pretty name though.

i have an esme and pronounce it ezmay. i knew an esme when i was a child and she pronounced it ezmay too.

i didn't bother with an accent over the E though.

Ez - mee

This thread crops up a lot with a lot of arguments ensuing. Particularly about whether it's French (it isn't) and whether it should have an accent (again I think not but not 100%) on that.

It's a beautiful name but does divide people.

I had an Auntie Esme who was Es - may but my friend has an Es -mee so I seriously annoyed her for a while mispronouncing it out of habit! I do much prefer the Es - may pronunciation but it is a pretty name either way.

Ezz-mee. Not a pretty sound to my ears I'm afraid!

i'm in ireland but have never, ever heard esmee, ugh! my niece is esme pronounced es-may which i think is so cute!

South coast here - I know 3 Es-mes but recently met an Es-may at a toddler group. Hadn't actually realised that was an alternative pronunciation so it initially sounded "wrong" to my ears.

Ezmay

I really cringe when I hear Esme pronounced 'Es-mee'.

If the name's not French, then what is is? I wouldn't pronounce Renée as 'Renny' or paté as 'patty'.

Out of interest, is the Es-mee pronunciation a UK thing? Never heard it anywhere else.

I love it and I wouldn't worry about Twilight, that will all be forgotten in about 12 months (I live in hope)

In the posh SE it has always been pronounced Es mee, for all the little girls I know with this name. Es may sounds more American or pretentious to me, sorry.

I'd pronounce it Es-may.
It's definitely not a "modern" French name. The only Esme I've ever met in France was in fact an Esmeralda.

Ezmee

Ezmay sounds pretentious to me.