How would you pronounce this baby name?

[MondaysFunday]

If you saw the name Mariana written down with no context provided, how would you pronounce it? DH and I completely disagree on the pronunciation, and we both think we’re right. I reckon there’s also the possibility that we’re both wrong.

1. Mar-ee-on-ah
2. Mar-ee-ann-ah
3. Mary-on-ah
4. Mary-ann-ah

Well...no. I'd pronounce #1 and "Mar-ee-ah-na" quite differently. The third syllable isn't the same.

@Pemba Of course Marian could also have come via Europe as a shortened version of Mariana. I wonder which it was. So interesting.

ETA: I just checked and it has both origins listed.

Feminine Marian (English & French)
Origin: It is most commonly a variant of Marion, which began as a medieval French diminutive (pet name) for Marie (Mary).
Combined Name: It is often considered a blend of the names Mary and Anne.

2

mariˈɑːnə
(Marry-ARE-na with non-rhotic R)

Marry like in getting wed followed by ana like in banana.

This one. There’s only one ‘n’ in ‘Mariana’ so in Latin-rooted languages this tends to elongate the ‘a’ preceding.

Ma - ree - AH - na.

If you want Ma - ree - ann - na you need to spell it ‘Marianna’.

Anna doesn't rhyme with spanner in any Scottish accents I can think of.
It's just the rhotic/non rhotic thing.

None of the pronunciation you list.
Marry-ah-nuh

Marry - ah - na

2

Marry Ana

I'm Scottish and they sound totally different when I say them.

I'm from Yorkshire and would pronounce it as in no. 2. The Mariana I know is Venezuelan and pronounces her name the same way that I do.

Me too @RigsbysCat. Totally different to me too.

This

None of your options. I would pronounce it Marry-Ah-na. The presence of ana indicates ah-na as opposed to anna, which would be pronounced as written.

Yes, this, which is not in your options, unless 3 is supposed to be this.

I think you sound confused if you think -ona and-ana sound the same.
You might as well say that or and are sound the same.

For reference, here's the IPA:
or ɔː
are ɑː

If you are looking for a name for a baby girl, I'd go for something that you can at least agree on the pronunciation.
Maria might be easier for you.

Where are people getting the second r sound from?

@Hollyhobbi, They're not. It's a silent R also called non-rhotic R.
'ah' is the a in cat.
'ar' is the a in car.

Marry Anna (Northener / Italian)

Marry-arna.

Commonly used by non-rhotic speakers (i.e. most speakers in England, though not Scotland or the US) to represent the 'a' sound in southern English 'pass', i.e. [pars] as opposed to the 'a' sound in 'mass' ([mas]). There is no straightforward and obvious way of differentiating these using a normal keyboard, though some people us 'ah', e.g. [pahs]

All 3 A’s like the short “a” in cat. Stress on the 3rd syllable.
ma-ree-A-na

Marry ah na

Ma-ree-aah-na

Which with you clarification is how you are saying you'd pronounce number 1 - so I voted 1 on that basis

Mari-Anna or Mari-Arna