Am I pronouncing this name correctly?

[Maybree]

Our daughter is due on December 6th and we’ve decided to name her Alana. We will pronounce the name “Ah-lar-na”. I haven’t come across many people with this name so I just wanted to check.

@3catsandcounting

I'd say A-lah-na. The ones I've known have always pronounced it like that. Banana - there's no 'r' in it, but we don't say ba-na-na, we say ba-nar-na.

Who's we? I say ba-na-na. So do most people I know because we are Scottish.

I’m Scottish and the Alana I knew was “a-la-na”. All 3 syllables had a soft “a” like “apple”. I’m not sure how she spelt it though.

@Maybree

Where in the world is the R coming from

It's either

A-la-na

Or

A-lay-na

It's very simple

Anyone else singing Alaynas and Banaynies to the Apples and Bananas song?

@3catsandcounting

I'd say A-lah-na. The ones I've known have always pronounced it like that. Banana - there's no 'r' in it, but we don't say ba-na-na, we say ba-nar-na.

I concur

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...

I say ba nar na, because I have a non rhotic accent.

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...

Wurzel Gummidge.

But people are using 'r' to mean a long 'ahhh' sound that is common in quite a lot of parts in England. When non-Rhotic speakers say 'car' they pronounce it sort of like 'caaaah', no hard R at the end. When I, a Rhotic speaker, say 'car', it has a distinguishable 'r' at the end. So when people use 'r' to mean 'ahhh' it makes me do a double take as it all sounds like a caricature of a West Country farmer because I actually say 'r'

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...

Pretty much everyone where I live. It’s very regional.

I used to know an Alanna and she went round telling everyone her name rhymes with spanner not banana to help them get it right.

Oh joy another ‘ah’ vs, ‘ar’ thread.............sorry OP you’re likely to have an absolute bun fight on your hands over the weekend!

It’s pronounced with an ‘ah’ sound as in do-re-mi- fa

Also it’s a great name!

@LilacSloth

I used to know an Alanna and she went round telling everyone her name rhymes with spanner not banana to help them get it right.

That really hurts my head!

Surely it depends on whether you spell the name with one l or two.

Alana - ah lar na, rhymes with banana.

Alanna(h) - ah lan ah, rhymes with hannah

I know a few people with this name - all pronounced Ah-larn-ah. Seems strange to me people would pronounce it any other way? I can’t imagine there would be any issues

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...

So each "a" has the same sound? Or does the middle a have a longer sound? I've never heard anyone say banana with three short a sounds. In a lot of accents, that middle na sounds the same as car. I would pronounce Alana to rhyme with banana, same as Lana and Alanna/h to rhyme with Anna.

Ah-laaaan-ah regardless of the spelling. Taught many, many lovely Alannahs, it’s a really nice name.

I would pronounce it to rhyme with sultana.

Oh god, sorry! I didn't want to start a banana debate! My apologies.

@wallysally

Who in the world says ba nar na? WTAF? It's BA NA NA...

Where in the world are you? That's an American pronunciation isn't it? Or to be fair I can hear it in an Australian or a South African accent in my head.

I've never heard an English person say BA-NA-NA. It's absolutely ba-bar-na.

I'm actually genuinely baffled that people don't know there are different accents within the UK Yes, I say banana with all short 'A's because I'm in Scotland and that's a common way of saying it here. If I try to say banaaahna I sound like I'm doing a fake English accent.

@SylvanasWindrunner

I'm actually genuinely baffled that people don't know there are different accents within the UK Yes, I say banana with all short 'A's because I'm in Scotland and that's a common way of saying it here. If I try to say banaaahna I sound like I'm doing a fake English accent.

Now you've mentioned it I can imagine it in a Glaswegian accent for some reason

People with rhotic accents? Does that mean common people?

it means most Scottish people, most Irish people, and most American people. Might be common, might not.

I have a non rhotic accent and im very common!

@SylvanasWindrunner

I'm actually genuinely baffled that people don't know there are different accents within the UK Yes, I say banana with all short 'A's because I'm in Scotland and that's a common way of saying it here. If I try to say banaaahna I sound like I'm doing a fake English accent.

Yeah, same goes for the poster above who said ‘no one says ba nar na’. I do!

@Twizbe

I loved this name as a child. After watching the girl from tomorrow I really wanted a daughter called Alana.

I'd say a-larn-a

Same!