Naomi

[wizened-cynic.livejournal.com]

Someone I know just named her baby Naomi. I like it (don't love it) but I can't decide which pronunciation sounds better:

NAY-OH-MI

or

NYE-OH-MI

In Japanese, it would be NAH-O-MI, which a short O.

Thoughts?

Comments

[lind-saay.livejournal.com]

NAY-OH-MEE.

[giveitfullheart.livejournal.com]

It's Nay-oh-mi
Nye-oh-mi would be spelled Niomi or something. lol...I only rant because it's my mother's name and after hearing her rant so much about being called everything under the sun BUT her name...it only comes naturally :-P

[blosmbee.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, but your mother has been pronouncing her name wrong her entire life. The origins of the name are in the Old Testament (Naomi is Ruth's mother in law), and the pronunciation is pretty clear.
I rant only because people bitching about wrong pronunciation when they pronunciation they're after lacks historical context is a pet peeve of mine.

[tameingraleat.livejournal.com]

I had a coworker at my first job named Naomi, and one of the other cashiers would call her up to cashier, and she'd always, without fail, say "Nye-oh-mee cashier please" - it was pronounced "Nay-oh-mee" - and oh, the poor girl always looked so furious.

[songspell.livejournal.com]

I usually pronounce it nah-OH-mee. (short A, long O sound)

But with the way I speak, and the way the AH and the OH sounds blend together when they are next to each other, it usually comes out sounding nye-OH-mee

[blosmbee.livejournal.com]

I've heard it both ways, but I think
nye-oh-mi
is the more accepted/common and prettier pronunciation.

Nay-oh-mi makes me think of a horse's neigh.

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

Where is 'nye-oh-mi' more accepted/common? I've never heard it pronounced like that in my life. Not saying it's wrong, I just think most people (in North America, at least) pronounce it 'nay-OH-mee'.

[istytehcrawk.livejournal.com]

I have never heard it pronounced nye-oh-mi, and I can't see WHY anyone would pronounce it that way, given its spelling. It makes no sense to me.

That said, I love the name, pronounced NAY-OH-MI.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

I always say nye-oh-mi. I never really thought that there were two different pronunciations of it, just like, different accents, I guess.

[lindiohead.livejournal.com]

My best friend's daughter is named NAY-OH-MI. I like it like that.

[ivegotbaggage.livejournal.com]

Every pronounciation I've ever heard went like this: NAY-OH-ME!

[amyames.livejournal.com]

I heard it pronounced both ways. I prefer Nay-oh-mi.

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

Here (The Netherlands, for the people who don't know) it's pronounced Nah-OH-me.

However, in English I always assumed it was pronounced Nay-OH-me because that how Naomi Watts pronounces her name =). She's my only reference point, though.

[wizened-cynic.livejournal.com]

Neither did I! I'd unwittingly started a war, apparently :P

[stellarichards6.livejournal.com]

my name is naomi. i pronounce it "nay-OH-me". i live in italy, so i also accept "nah-OH-me" and even "no-AY-mi" (but that's because the italian name noemi comes more naturally to some).

"nye-oh-me" always bothered me.

*edited for stress

[patsfan610.livejournal.com]

i pronounce it "nay-OH-mee"

[gucci-loafers.livejournal.com]

NAY-OH-MI, with an 'e' sound like the 'e' sound in me. :)

[jordle.livejournal.com]

Nay-oh-mi hands down. One of my best friend's name is Naomi and she's a gorgeous person.

[rhi3384.livejournal.com]

3 of my friends with that name is nye-oh-me

[satunian.livejournal.com]

Nye-oh-mi

[hoboheart.livejournal.com]

"I moan"

[searlait.livejournal.com]

I say Nye-oh-mi.

[cremepuff.livejournal.com]

Apparently either works...I had no idea there was any other way to pronounce it than nay-OH-mee! Ah well, learn something new every day.

If the parents use it and pronounce it Nye-OH-mee, and it's historically correct, then I guess it's their right, isn't it? As for myself, I prefer it as nay-OH-mee and would pronounce it as such if I gave that name to my daughter.

Sheesh, everyone in all of my favorite intarwebz forums has been testy today...is there a full moon I didn't know about? :)

[th3-unicorn.livejournal.com]

In italian it's Nah-AW-mee or Nah-OH-mee, depending which region you ask.

[ifancylust.livejournal.com]

i've actually never heard it pronounced nay-oh-mi, only nye-oh-mi. i live in new york if that makes any difference.

[la-jolie-vie.livejournal.com]

NAH-O-MI