How do you pronounce William?

[wwoonn]

I say it with 3 syllables, but it's supposed to only be 2?

[KoalaDownUnder]

Interesting! Is that a regional pronunciation, then? I never heard Will-LEE-um when I lived in London.

[Ontopofthesunset]

Nobody in London pronounces it with the stress on the second syllable. I know lots of Williams of all ages and the stress is always on the first syllable. The discussion is really over the length of the second syllable.

[Gruffalosfriend]

Wil + Liam = Wil-lEEam

[heateallthebuns]

Depends how cross I am with ds. Will yum - not in trouble. Will eee um - he's in trouble!!!!!

[DaisyQueen]

I would say Will-e-um

[badtime]

I have never heard anyone from any country say Wil-LEE-um.

Any time I have ever heard anyone say the name, the stress has been on the WILL (whether it continues -ee-um or -yum).

[Artandco]

It's London. Just done school run, three children were def called will-lee-um. By various parents and teachers so not just one.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Will ee um I thought that's how it was pronounced unless it was the name Willam.

[minipie]

Willy-um here. as a pp said the second syllable is short and not emphasised but it is there.

[lottiegarbanzo]

Will-ee-um with three full syllables I can easily imagine but wi-LEE-am, as in wil + Liam, really? Are you sure that's what you're hearing?

[ShyTallSun]

I have a 'William'
Normally Will-ee-yum but the 'ee' is very short
Occasionally Will-ee-YUUUUUUM....used if he's about to do something monumentally stupid.

[ScarletForYa]

Will- Yim.

[stumblymonkey]

Will-yum.

I've never heard it said any other way and have lived in Stoke, Manchester and Surrey and work I. London.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

I had to say it to myself three times before I could be sure that I saw 'Will-yem'.

[Amithenormalone]

I have a William we pronounce is will-ee-um

[NoSquirrels]

Will-ee-um.

But does it matter? Will-yum wouldn't register as 'wrong' to me. It's said so quickly it's not like it's a mispronunciation that would rankle.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Will I am, I'm Kent too OP.

[lottiegarbanzo]

I'm getting Déjà vu from threads on Evelyn. My conclusion there has been that, aside from those people using a truly two-syllable version e.g. Eve-Lynn, Will-yum, many people cannot hear short or elided third (middle) syllables e.g. Ev-uh-lyn, Will-y-um, so say they always hear two.

[HardcoreLadyType]

I am Australian, living in the SE of U.K.

My original accent would have been more like woow-yum, but now it's will-i-um, barely touching on the middle "i".

[Bumplovin]

3 syllables will ee um

[IfartInYourGeneralDirection]

I have one and we call him Will-yum and I am from Berkshire.

Or Willy,willow,willbow,willikins...poor boy

[twinjocks]

Have said it in my head so much that I'm not sure now...
but definitely 3 syllables: A cross between Will-ee-um and Will-ee-am I think, possibly closer to the latter! I'm in Ireland.

[SatsukiKusakabe]

I say it with three syllables and so had everyone I ever knew until I moved slightly northwards from the southeast and have heard a few Will-Yums.

It sounds a bit slurred that way.

[Artandco]

Evelyn I would say 3 syllables as well.
Ev-eh-Lyn

[whirliegig]

will-yum

but it's a very dark "l" so it's almost not pronounced "l" but more like Wi-w-yum like the dark 'l in mil - mi-wk). Just to confuse things even more :-)