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Original poster

How would you pronounce..

41 replies

Mseddy · 28/01/2021 11:32

Alma??

It's my nan's middle name so I know how it should be pronounced, but there are two ways people do tend to pronounce it I'm curious which is more popular. I know their is a fair bit of dislike for this name (I've searched other mumsnet posts on it) but the familial link and the fact I like it are enough to make it a real contender for us.

So would you pronounce it as
1 - Al-mah (like the Al from Alan)

Or

2- Ol-mah (as is the ol sound from ollie)

Thanks :)

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Ylfa · 28/01/2021 11:33

Isn’t it like armour?

dementedpixie · 28/01/2021 11:34
  1. Al ma
AaronPurr · 28/01/2021 11:34

Al - mah

Although it's a lovely name, it just reminds me of Elmer the elephant.

Original poster
Mseddy · 28/01/2021 11:35

There is no r sound in it. I'm sure the end sound is ma not mour. It's the initial Al vs Ol I'm curious about

OP posts:
Whereland · 28/01/2021 11:35

I would pronounce exactly as it's spelled.. Al-ma. Never heard it pronounced Ol-ma. Unless someone has an extremely posh accent 😂

dailybriefing · 28/01/2021 11:35

Al-mah

LittleBoPeep95 · 28/01/2021 11:35

Al-ma

I really like it

Sycamoretrees · 28/01/2021 11:35

Al-mah, never heard it pronounced the other way.

KirstenBlest · 28/01/2021 11:42

Al-mah

Original poster
Mseddy · 28/01/2021 11:42

Thanks everyone. My nan swears it's ol
-mah and I guess it's been her name for nearly 90 years Grin not posh either, scouse!

I actually prefer Al-mah pronunciation and given most people would pronounce it that way too that makes me more set on the name. I can live with my nan calling her (if it's even a girl) ol-mah if she wants

OP posts:
rubyred44 · 28/01/2021 11:46

I have a close family member with that name and it has been pronounced it Ol-mah for 60 years.
We are also a family from Liverpool, so it's maybe a local pronunciation.

bourbonne · 28/01/2021 11:53

Al-ma like Alan. The little Almas I meet pronounce it like that. But before it became popular, I wasn't sure if it was Ahlma, or even Ah-ma.

GinaJaffacake · 28/01/2021 11:56

I’ve heard it pronounced Ol-ma only by an Irish woman so perhaps that’s why it’s sometimes pronounced that way in Liverpool. I’d say Al-ma though as I’d imagine most people would.

FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 11:56

I'd say Alma like Al from Alan. Never heard it pronounced Ol-mah, but if it's her name, it's her name.

I know an adult Clara who says it Claire-ah.

ProudAuntie76 · 28/01/2021 11:59

Al-ma

Never heard Olma Confused

I can only imagine it would be people with certain Irish accents that would say Olma?

FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 12:01

I think maybe in an Aberdonian accent it would be Olma?

I used to live there and my lovely boss used to tell me to take that to the sconner to scon it. (Scanner to scan it). She was actually from aberdeenshire though, not the city.

bourbonne · 28/01/2021 12:02

I do think "Al-ma" is a bit of an awkward one to say. It goes against instinct (and no, I'm not Irish or from Liverpool). Most words with "alm" have become "ahm", like almshouse, alms, almond, calm.

davidsSchitt · 28/01/2021 12:03

This is like Aldi.

Mil thinks she's posh and goes to Oldi Grin

EspressoPatronum · 28/01/2021 12:03

Does she call almonds olmonds as well??

Love the name Alma ❤️

FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 12:05

@bourbonne

I do think "Al-ma" is a bit of an awkward one to say. It goes against instinct (and no, I'm not Irish or from Liverpool). Most words with "alm" have become "ahm", like almshouse, alms, almond, calm.
I'm irish and I would say all those words like Al from Alan Grin. Funny how accents work.
FatkinsDiet · 28/01/2021 12:06

Oh, except 'calm' which I just say like cam.

Original poster
Mseddy · 28/01/2021 12:07

@davidsSchitt

This is like Aldi.

Mil thinks she's posh and goes to Oldi Grin

I've never thought if the aldi oldi pronunciation as similar but I guess it is! I don't live near Liverpool anymore but back home it's certainly oldi not aldi! Maybe it is colloquial. Given my child will be raised away from Liverpool it's likely they will be pronounced Al-mah not ol-mah I guess. Works for me! They can decide on pronunciation as soon as they are old enough to make a choice.
OP posts:
Original poster
Mseddy · 28/01/2021 12:09

@EspressoPatronum

Does she call almonds olmonds as well??

Love the name Alma ❤️

Yeah she does and I would too. My DH isn't from near Liverpool so he's an ALdi Almonds kind of person where as I am oldi and olmonds!
OP posts:
RaraRachael · 28/01/2021 12:16

@FatkinsDiet

I think maybe in an Aberdonian accent it would be Olma?

I used to live there and my lovely boss used to tell me to take that to the sconner to scon it. (Scanner to scan it). She was actually from aberdeenshire though, not the city.

That's my accent and I definitely wouldn't say Olma.

Scon/sconner doesn't sounds Aberdeenshire at all. It sounds more south of Scotland where they say hauns for hands - I'd say hans

Iwantmychairback · 28/01/2021 12:17

I would say Al - ma

I also say Al -di

But almond I say as Ol mond.

Think I’m a little bit mixed up