I want to use the name Ami for a girl - pronounced Ahh-mee, but I’m worried everyone will just think it’s a trendy way to spell Amy. I love the “ah” sound, and really don’t want it to be Amy. Any ways to spell this so people will get it right? I’m in the US.
Also what about Amma - how would you pronounce that? I love it as AH-ma, but again worried about mispronunciation. Any ideas or alternative names welcome. Thank you!
In [name_u]America[/name_u], getting Ahh-mee is going to be a bit tough. Mayyybe [name_f]Amie[/name_f] or [name_f]Amee[/name_f]?
I naturally would say [name_f]Amma[/name_f].
Maybe consider [name_f]Amelie[/name_f]?
I know an [name_u]Ami[/name_u] in the US and she pronounces it ahh-mee! I don’t know if she has trouble with the name, but the pronunciation seems clear to me! I think I would expect ahh-mee with the [name_u]Ami[/name_u] spelling before ay-mee.
[name_f]Amma[/name_f] is sweet and I would pronounce it ahh-mah, but it means ‘mom’ and/or ‘nanny’ in a few languages and that’s my first association despite not actually speaking any language where that’s the case.
Other similar names are [name_f]Amia[/name_f] or [name_f]Amaya[/name_f]!
In an [name_f]English[/name_f] speaking context, (AY-mee) will be the dominant pronunciation because [name_f]Amy[/name_f] is a well known name while [name_u]Ami[/name_u] (AH-mee) is not.
I don’t think a change of spelling can avoid this altogether but you could try:
Ahmi
Ahmee
Armi (if non-rhotic accent)
Armee (if non-rhotic accent)
I had [name_f]Amma[/name_f] (AH-MUH) on my list a few years ago. It’s nice to see it mentioned. I think this pronunciation is a lot more intuitive and far more likely at first attempt because it’s not competing with another name.
I’d be more likely to get the pronunciation the way you like with [name_f]Amma[/name_f] then [name_u]Ami[/name_u]. I think [name_u]Ami[/name_u] would be an up hill battle. Have you thought about the name [name_f]Ani[/name_f]?
I would say [name_u]Ami[/name_u] like [name_f]Ammie[/name_f] - a like in apple or cat
Not ar like car or ae like cake
I think if I saw [name_u]Ami[/name_u], I’d say it like Am-ee (am as in lamb). Maybe [name_f]Ammy[/name_f], [name_f]Ammie[/name_f] or Ammi?
This was might thought too
[name_f]Amelie[/name_f], [name_f]Annmarie[/name_f], [name_f]Amabel[/name_f], [name_f]Amberly[/name_f] as similar names? [name_u]Or[/name_u] [name_f]Cammie[/name_f], [name_f]Pammy[/name_f], [name_f]Emmy[/name_f], [name_u]Laramie[/name_u]
I wouldn’t spell it like that. It is literally the [name_u]French[/name_u] word for a male friend.
I think of the difference between [name_f]Anna[/name_f] (with the initial A pronounced like the A in cat) and [name_f]Ana[/name_f] (AAH na)
Maybe you should consider [name_f]Ana[/name_f] or [name_f]Analie[/name_f] or [name_f]Annora[/name_f]. They all begin with the AAH sound.
From a non-US / non-rhotic accent perspective, people where I’m from would assume it was trendy [name_f]Amy[/name_f] or (flat A) [name_f]Ammy[/name_f] or maybe even Uh-MEE but different to what you want - Ah-mee (even stress on the syllables) which would sound - undesirably - too close to the word “army” (so no one would assume your name was army).
[name_f]Amma[/name_f] is an easier and more flexible name - can be [name_f]Emma[/name_f] with an A, or else UH-mma. [name_f]My[/name_f] instinct would be the first but I’ve actually only heard it as second so a quick correction wouldn’t be a problem.
So of the two, I’d choose [name_f]Amma[/name_f] (and you can use [name_u]Ami[/name_u] as a nn if it suits).
Other names you might like though not all give the “Uh” A sound you’re after but a good few do…
[name_f]Amara[/name_f]
[name_f]Mara[/name_f]
[name_f]Amabel[/name_f]
[name_f]Amelie[/name_f]
[name_f]Ambria[/name_f]
[name_f]Cambrie[/name_f]
Ember/Emberly
[name_f]Jessamy[/name_f]
[name_u]Camille[/name_u] / [name_f]Camilla[/name_f]
[name_f]Avalon[/name_f]
[name_u]Arden[/name_u]
[name_u]Auden[/name_u]
[name_u]Harlow[/name_u]
[name_u]Marlowe[/name_u]
I’m in the UK and I’d pronounce it ah-mee (I heard it pronounced like that yesterday too).
I’d pronounce [name_f]Amma[/name_f] AH-mah but I feel as though it sounds like “hammer” without the H, and a shorter err sound. It’s also similar to how I’d pronounce the first and second syllable in [name_f]Amabel[/name_f] (AH-mah-belle).
(the reason I pronounce [name_u]Ami[/name_u] as ah-mee is because i’d use it as a nn for [name_m]Amias[/name_m] (pn: ah-mee-us)
(ah means short A sound)
When I see [name_u]Ami[/name_u], I see the [name_u]French[/name_u] word for a male friend and pronounce it as such: Ah-MEE, as in “Au contraire, mon ami.”
If it were a girl, I’d use [name_f]Amie[/name_f]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] so, the accent would be on the mee, not the ah.
In school, there was a girl named [name_f]Ana[/name_f], pronounced “ah-na” like in Frozen. That might get you the [name_m]Ah[/name_m] sound + the accent on the first syllable.
[name_u]Or[/name_u]
[name_f]Lana[/name_f] / [name_f]Lani[/name_f]
[name_f]Leilani[/name_f]
[name_f]Azami[/name_f] (check meaning first)
I think I’d pronounce [name_u]Ami[/name_u] “ah-mee” but I’m not sure that’s intuitive for most people. Maybe try Ammi?
When I first read your title I read [name_u]Ami[/name_u] as a form of [name_f]Amy[/name_f]. I feel like it’s going to be hard to get the ahh-mee pronunciation in the US. [name_u]Ami[/name_u] is the closest spelling I can think of but you might have to correct a lot of people at first on how to say it.
[name_f]Amma[/name_f] I would say ah-ma but hesitantly. It doesn’t feel super intuitive.