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Baby names

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Original poster

Esmé or Isabella?

61 replies

pinkrainbowsocks · 04/05/2022 22:54

Which do you prefer? Esmé pronounced ez-may

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caringcarer · 04/05/2022 23:34

Isabella is a beautiful name.

DramaAlpaca · 04/05/2022 23:35

As you are pronouncing Esmé that way, it's definitely Isabella for me.

calmlakes · 04/05/2022 23:38

Esme, a pretty but not fussy name.

Justkeeppedaling · 04/05/2022 23:40

DramaAlpaca · 04/05/2022 23:35

As you are pronouncing Esmé that way, it's definitely Isabella for me.

How else would you pronounce Esmé?

Firebird83 · 04/05/2022 23:40

Isabella

IStandWithMaya · 05/05/2022 00:36

Isabella

(I would pronounce Esme as Ez-mee.)

Magenta82 · 05/05/2022 00:44

My daughter is Esme, I get a little annoyed when people pronounce it Ez-may rather than Ez-me, especially after I just said Ez-me! The accent is the difference in pronunciation but a lot of people don't realise that and would pronounce it Ez-me.

So would I have to go with Isabella.

ButterRose · 05/05/2022 04:40

Esmé is ez-may but Esme is ez-mee in my understanding I much prefer Esmé but that's just my opinion I think it's lovely really don't like Isabella

Fizzyfish · 05/05/2022 05:30

Don't like either tbh, Isabella is so overused

pinklavenders · 05/05/2022 06:53

Esmé is not Esmay,. The correct (French) pronunciation is Es-mé or Es-meh.

There is no AY sound.

Synchrony · 05/05/2022 12:09

Isabella because I only like Ez-mee pronunciation.

RuthW · 05/05/2022 12:14

DramaAlpaca · 04/05/2022 23:35

As you are pronouncing Esmé that way, it's definitely Isabella for me.

Absolutely this.

Topseyt123 · 05/05/2022 12:19

Isabella is my favourite. I like all of it's regular shortening s too.

I do like Esmé, but think you would often have to correct people's pronunciation, which would be a pain in the arse.

DogsAndGin · 05/05/2022 12:27

Esmaaaaay is not nice. Reminds me of ‘dismay’.

Ez-mee is pretty. Isabella is lovely too.

GreatCuppa · 05/05/2022 12:49

Isabella. I’m just not a fan of Esme.

KirstenBlest · 05/05/2022 12:53

Neither of them. Esme pronounced Ezmay is not very nice and isabella is overused and too long

ABrightSilverLining · 05/05/2022 13:11

Isabella

merryhouse · 05/05/2022 13:17

pinklavenders · 05/05/2022 06:53

Esmé is not Esmay,. The correct (French) pronunciation is Es-mé or Es-meh.

There is no AY sound.

I think you're overthinking it. When people say "pronounced Esmay" they mean "with the accent actually doing what it's intended to, like French people say"

It doesn't actually rhyme with day or say or away. Phonetic representation is tricky (that's why the IPA was developed).

pinklavenders · 05/05/2022 14:00

It doesn't actually rhyme with day or say or away.

Well I have occasionally heard it pronounced as EsMAY Hmm

But glad most people know the correct pronunciation

Imogensmumma · 05/05/2022 14:03

Esme… Isabella is too popular

Dawncarter100287 · 05/05/2022 17:36

Isabella is prettier

Nancydrawn · 05/05/2022 17:37

Aren't they both Twilight names? Whatever you do, don't combine them!

Retrievemysanity · 05/05/2022 17:39

I like Esme pronounced esmee. Isabella is pretty and i prefer it to Esme pronounced esmay.

comealongponds · 05/05/2022 18:28

Definitely Isabella

Justkeeppedaling · 05/05/2022 19:12

pinklavenders · 05/05/2022 06:53

Esmé is not Esmay,. The correct (French) pronunciation is Es-mé or Es-meh.

There is no AY sound.

Wouldn't it be Esmée in French?