Do you pronounce 'Hephzibar'...

[Flangelica]

With a 'p' or an 'f' sound (if you are familiar with the name.)

Like 'Hep-zee-bar'

Or

'Hef-zee-bar'?

There seems to be some difference in opinion, wondering which was more common/popular.

Thank you!

With a P. Hephzibah is Eppie in Silas Marner. There’s a Hephzibah in the children’s book Carrie’s War too. It’s never occurred to me that there could be an F pronunciation.

If spelt Heziba I’d pronounce with a P if spelled with ph f. I prefer it with a p. Always liked the name from reading Carrie’s war.

I've only ever seen it written as Hepzibah so would pronounce it with a p.

Actually, the Carrie’s War character is spelled Hepzibah (without the H), so that makes it very clear.

The other thread confused me tbh. I've always pronounced the P after being read Carries War as a child and that's how my Dad pronounced it although I think the spelling was p not ph.
Then you said you liked Ephie/Effie as a nn so I googled the pronunciation.

A conundrum, then, as I prefer the "Hep-zi-bah" pronunciation to the "Hef-zi-bah" but prefer nickname Ephy to Eppie!

But there are several other short forms you could get - Hepzi, or Zibah, or Heba, for example.

Hep-zi-ba

And that's the only way I've heard it said in church

Didn't even occur to me that it could be a 'f' any more than I'd start Thomas with a 'th'

Hep with a p.

I am Jewish but don't speak Hebrew but have only heard of it as Hep-zi

I love the name.

Stephen Fry pronounces it Hep-zi-bah in the Harry Potter audiobooks so I’d go with that.

Effie could be short for Ephigenia.

Although both are a bit Victorian for my tastes.

Personally, with a hard P. I haven't heard it the other way.

I have a great (many times over) grandmother from the mid nineteenth century called Hephzibah and considered it for one of my girls.

My question was which syllable is the most pronounced; Hep-ZEE-bar or Hep-zi-BAR.

I never even questioned that some people might choose a f sound over a p.

P.
Beautiful name.

It's a beautiful name and pronounced with the P. I first came across it in Silas Marner and the little girl got Eppie for short, I love it.

I can never get my head around MN horror of names you might possibly have to spell or that others might not know how to pronounce. Hephzibah is a really old name not something newfangled and younique

Is Silas Marner still read in schools? I remember at 13 thinking what a heart warming story it was. The description of miserly old Silas caring for baby Eppie is lovely and must be memorable for me to remember it after 60+ years.
Hephzibah was also the name of Yehudi Menuhin’s pianist sister.

Hepsy-bah, nn Eppie. It's a beautiful name, absolutely beautiful.

I knew a girl with this name and she pronounced it with the p

You can use whatever NN you like, irrespective of spelling. Betsy and Betty don’t use the ‘th’ of Elizabeth, loads of common nicknames are not just a syllable from the name.

Sorry, irrespective of spelling or pronunciation.

Really,why? It's not used a lot but I'd be surprised if no one's heard of it ever.

With a p and I like it.

I’ve never heard or seen the name but looking at it would pronounce it with the f sound naturally. I quite like it!

Could you email the hotel there and how they pronounce it?

Hold on a mo! Wasn't it a spell in Harry Potter?

I’m unfamiliar with the name so at first sight I would pronounce with the ‘f’ sound but after reading comments I like it better with the ‘p’ sound. It’s a rather unusual name though and she could have a lifetime of telling people how it’s spelt/pronounced. However it’s not boring and it’s beautiful.

I'd pronounce it with an 'f' sound.