Alastair or Alistair?

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] again,

Firstly - my apologies - I know this question has been posted before but I’m really desperate for some fresh advice, please.

Unfortunately, my husband has told me that he really dislikes the spelling of [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m]. I am shattered because I fell in love with this original Scottish version of [name_m]Alexander[/name_m] the past few days and honestly thought that I had found ‘the name’.

So, now that [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m] is off the table can you please give me your advice about which spelling you prefer: [name_m]Alastair[/name_m] or [name_m]Alistair[/name_m]? Also, an explanation would be most appreciated!

Thanks so much :pray:t2:

I’d say [name_m]Alistair[/name_m], but I really don’t know why - it just looks right. The [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] I know spells it like that as well.

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Thank you for responding! I feel we’re so close with this naming process but so stuck at the same time!!

[name_m]Alistair[/name_m] was my original choice but I then started to doubt myself because of pronunciation issues.

[name_f]May[/name_f] I please ask how you pronounce the name of the [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] that you know?

Thanks again :blush:

I pronounce them slightly differently - [name_m]Alastair[/name_m] is [name_m]Al[/name_m]-UH-stair vs [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] as something more like [name_f]Ally[/name_f]-stair - and I slightly prefer the former. But if you want to use [name_u]Ali[/name_u] as a nickname I’d say the latter lends itself more naturally to that, so… on the fence on this one, basically

It’s pronounced ah-liss-tuh, I live in the U.K. if that makes a difference.

Aw, shame about [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m]. I think I slightly prefer [name_m]Alastair[/name_m]. It keeps the same feeling of [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m]. :blush:

Thank you everyone :hugs:

I’m not sure whether I should just abandon this name now altogether? It seems that I’m not 100% sold on either form as I keep jumping back and forth between both spellings :grimacing:

[name_m]Ah[/name_m], such a shame about [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m]! :cry:

I pronounce the middle vowels slightly differently with these two spellings: AL-uh-stuh/stair ([name_m]Alastair[/name_m]) vs. AL-ih-stuh/stair ([name_m]Alistair[/name_m]). But I suspect you’d get both pronunciations commonly for both spellings.

(Side note: I know you like the “stair” sound at the end of the name, but I have to admit that I’ve heard “stuh” most commonly here in [name_f]England[/name_f].)

I slightly prefer the look and sound of the [name_m]Alastair[/name_m] spelling, but [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] is more common (and also lovely) so it would probably make the most practical sense to go with this one. I believe you said you made a similar practical decision with your first son’s name, and I do think it makes sense to do so when there’s a more familiar spelling.

I’m more familiar with the [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] spelling, but I think [name_m]Alastair[/name_m] is fine too. I would pronounce them both as AL-ih-ster (same ending sound as [name_m]Brewster[/name_m], [name_m]Baxter[/name_m] etc). I have never heard it pronounced with the “stair” sound, but maybe that’s an accent thing?

I know 2 people with the name [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m] and 2 with [name_m]Alistair[/name_m]. I personally would have gone for [name_m]Alasdair[/name_m], but out of the other two options I prefer [name_m]Alistair[/name_m].

Thank you for all of the feedback and advice. It’s unbelievable how much of a difference just one letter can make!

So true, [name_f]Katinka[/name_f]. Practicality is what ended up being the deciding factor for [name_m]Edmund[/name_m]’s name. You present a very strong case for going with the [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] spelling! I’m just not sure whether the ‘stuh’ sound is going to end up being something that I’ll regret in years to come?

What other names would you suggest that have the same sophisticated feel as [name_m]Alistair[/name_m]/Alastair/Alasdair and [name_m]Edmund[/name_m]?

Thank you :blush:

Thank you for your reply :blush:

I’d love to know how the two Alisdairs and the two Alistairs pronounce their names. [name_f]Do[/name_f] they differ much in the way they say their name?

Thanks so much. I really appreciate the help!

[name_m]Alaric[/name_m] springs to mind instantly, but I have a feeling it might be a bit too unfamiliar for you/your husband?

Other strong, solid, distinguished-type names…

[name_m]Magnus[/name_m]
[name_m]Rupert[/name_m]
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_m]Hugh[/name_m]/Hugo
[name_m]Alban[/name_m]/Albert
[name_m]Alfred[/name_m]
[name_m]Wilfred[/name_m]
[name_m]Sylvan[/name_m]
[name_m]Benedict[/name_m]
[name_m]Ambrose[/name_m]
[name_m]Ansel[/name_m]
[name_m]Peter[/name_m]
[name_m]Vincent[/name_m]
[name_m]Frederick[/name_m]
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]
[name_m]Walter[/name_m]
[name_m]Victor[/name_m]
[name_m]Rufus[/name_m]
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m]
[name_m]Ivan[/name_m]
[name_u]Julian[/name_u]
[name_m]Fabian[/name_m]
[name_m]Maximilian[/name_m]

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I prefer [name_m]Alistair[/name_m] purely because it’s the one that looks best to me and feels most intuitive

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[name_m]Alastair[/name_m] seems like the more intuitive spelling, and it is more appealing to me. It also looks more masculine to my eyes.

The Alistairs pronounce it [name_m]Ah[/name_m]-liss-ter and the Alisdairs both say [name_m]Ah[/name_m]-lass-dare. One went by [name_m]Al[/name_m] and the other three went by [name_u]Ali[/name_u], [name_u]Allie[/name_u], [name_f]Ally[/name_f].

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Thank you!

My father and grandfather both spelled their names as [name_m]Alistair[/name_m]. [name_f]My[/name_f] family on that side is Scottish and pronounced it “[name_m]Ah[/name_m]-lih-ster” not “[name_m]Ah[/name_m]-lee-stair” or “All [name_f]Star[/name_f]” as the telemarketers sometimes butchered it.

Alistair is the name of a friend’s baby (she’s Canadian, hubs is British). I think the spelling fits Canadian proniunciation (al-liss-ter)