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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

How do you pronounce Joseph?

122 replies

SeriousSeal · 30/08/2018 18:24

DH and I have called our newborn baby son Joseph, which we pronounce "JO-siff". However, I've noticed that most other people say "JO-ziff", and I wondered if it was a dialect thing or just personal preference. How do you say Joseph and where are you from? I'm in SE England.

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Outfoxed · 31/08/2018 03:42

Jo-suf
From the midlands

Quangot · 31/08/2018 06:56

Joe-ziff

cricketmum84 · 31/08/2018 07:16

I pronounce as Joe-zif - we are in the north. I have a friend from London who calls him Joe-siff so I think it's a regional thing!

He's made it easier since he became a teen and is now just Joe Grin

mathanxiety · 31/08/2018 07:27

I am originally from Dublin and pronounce it JO-siff.

MollyHuaCha · 31/08/2018 07:36

JO-seff here.

MadisonAvenue · 31/08/2018 07:38

Jo-ziff. I’m in the Midlands.

CocoLoco87 · 31/08/2018 08:18

I have one and I say Joe-ziff but his brother says Joe-seff with a Welsh lilt to it. He's not Welsh Grin I call him Joe / Joey so If Joseph is used it's usually being shouted across a playground in a 'Fenton!' sort of way Hmm

kettleonplease · 31/08/2018 08:27

Jo-Seph (as it's spelt!)

Original poster
SeriousSeal · 31/08/2018 09:16

Thanks for all your replies. Looks like it's quite interchangeable!

OP posts:
RedDwarves · 31/08/2018 10:06

Jo-seff.

You wouldn't hear Jo-zeff in Australia, just like Josephine would never be Jo-zephine.

The "z" pronunciation irks me.

Quangot · 31/08/2018 10:24

I wouldn't say Jeess-us or hoe-sssanna, they'd be Jee-zus and ho-zanna.

cushioncovers · 31/08/2018 10:30

Jo siff.
From the south west.

WhyIsntGeorgeCalledPeterOrPaul · 31/08/2018 11:25

Jo-Seph (as it's spelt!)

Like rose, hose and nose?

RedDwarves · 31/08/2018 11:32

I wouldn't say Jeess-us or hoe-sssanna, they'd be Jee-zus and ho-zanna.

Is "insipid" pronounced inzipid? "Message" pronounced mezzage? Cassandra pronounced cazandra? Dorset pronounced dorzet?

Nah.

areyoubeingserviced · 31/08/2018 11:37

Jo- seff

GraceMarks · 31/08/2018 12:12

How fascinating! I've never heard it pronounced Jo-siff. My dad is a Joseph and it's always been Jo-ziff to us. I'm in Yorkshire by the way.

I don't see that it's worth getting worked up about, though. There are lots of inconsistencies in English pronunciations where a letter will be said differently in different words, i.e. the s in nose compared with the s in horse. It would be pretty stupid to then insist that all words containing an s have to be pronounced the same way!

Aaarrrggghh · 31/08/2018 12:13

Jo-seff

vitaminC · 31/08/2018 12:19

@RedDwarves and @GraceMarks,
All the examples you give of a hard 'sss' sound are where the S is preceded or followed by another consonent.
An S between 2 vowels (as in Joseph, rose, nose, hosanna etc) is a soft S, which in most accents becomes a Z sound.

IrianOfW · 31/08/2018 12:22

Joe Grin

BlueUggs · 31/08/2018 12:22

Jo-zefff midlands

Rosley · 31/08/2018 12:27

Jo-ziff (London here)

WhyIsntGeorgeCalledPeterOrPaul · 31/08/2018 17:18

Would you Jo-siff people also pronounce Isabel with a hard s?? Like Iss-abel? Confused

guiltynetter · 31/08/2018 17:20

joe-ziff

hungryhippie · 31/08/2018 17:27

Jo-Siff
I live near Blackpool

Cbeebiesrehab · 31/08/2018 17:29

Just spent a good 5 minutes saying ‘Joseph’ to myself and now the name has lost all meaning. So no help here sorry. Jo-Siff? I think? Confused