How would you pronounce the name "Esme"

[shakennotstirred]

My dd is called Esme and I have endless trouble with people mispronouncing it...would you pronounce it EsME or EsMAY?

Answers on a postcard, please...

I'll post later on with the "correct" version (or at least the one I consider to be correct)

My friends' dd is called Esme and she pronounces it Es-may. Although at school I was at school with an Es-me.

es-may - it would never have occurred to me that it might be pronounced es-mee (I'm a southerner)

I always assumed it to be Esme it was on my list for DD it came second and even when she was born we tried it out and her name out but she just looked more like the name we chose. expecting again and its back on the list. But now your making me think!

I have only known one who said it Es-may so have always assumed that's how you say it. Have never heard anyone say it Es-mee. And I'm a Midlander who moved north.

I've always pronounced it Es-may but there is a girl at DS1's school who says Es-mee. I asked her mum how to say it, coz DS1 kept correcting me.

I would say Es-may too.

S oooh s an

me

I went to school with a girl named EZ - ME!
That is how I would say it, never heard of the MAY way!

Just revisiting this thread! Seems that Esme (without an accent on the second e) is just one of those names that will always have divided opinions on pronounciation! Still correcting people regularly...and now, at almost 4, she's got good at (politely) correcting people, too!

Ez May

Was trying to see if I was on this thread two years ago, but can't spot myself. We have an ez mee too, but most round here (notts) agree with my pronunciation thank Gawd. Hate the May thing and am v dubious about the French connection and accents thing. Ask a French person if they've ever met an esme... Not a popular name there at all. We chose it cos it's always been popular in Scotland where they pronounce it esmee.

This is the 999th esme thread I've been on since I joined MN.

I've been in France for over 10 years and never met nor heard of an "Esme", if anyone is interested.

In my opinion

Esmé = boys name to rhyme with René

Esmée = girls name to rhyme with Renée

I'd pronounce it Es-may, but if you told me it's Esme, that's the way I'd say it. You have chosen that pronunciation, so that's correct for your daughter.

My name isn't Scottish, but should be pronounced the Scottish way and I have to say it annoys me when my English friends and colleagues say it 'wrong' - it makes it a completely different name imo.

i have an Esme. i prefered the pronounciation Ez-may.

i spent days in hospital saying it each way before deciding

May.
I had it on my baby list but discounted it due to this issue, don't like it pronounced Mee.

Esz-mee.
I am too lazy to choose a name with such pronunciation ambiguities!

Oh, and I would assume accent on the first syllable (EZZmee).
I am very easily tongue tied. If I met an esMAY I would probably try hard to avoid ever saying her name at all.

Have always thought it was EZ-May. I have never even considered it being pronounced in a different way to this

I am in Gloucestershire, i have an Esme (Ez-me) the other Esme in her school is also an Ez-me, never ever heard of anyone with the Es-may sounding name, nor has anyone ever prounced it this way. A teacher at a local prep has also only ever heard the Ez-me variety.
Wasn't the first name on my list for DD, but she suits it to the ground.

I have an Esme (me). In London and I have never, ever heard it pronounced Esmay - sounds wrong imo.
Have also known of three others all Esme.
I have read that it is of scottish origin (16th century)and it means '(to be)esteemed' not 'to be loved/beloved' which is the meaning of Amy (a derivative of Esme) from the French 'aimer'.
Seems though that people (even those without an Esme) have very strong views on how it should be pronounced

Es-mee

Es-mee unless the last e had an accent on it in which case it would be es-may

Ez May