I’ve known a few Grahams in my life, all of whom basically pronounced their names like [name]Gram[/name], with a short a sound. However, I recently met a mother who pronounced her son’s name [name]Gray[/name]-um, a very subtle, but discernible difference. She’s from [name]California[/name], so it’s not a dialectical thing (in the south I’d imagine there’d be no difference between [name]Gray[/name]-um and [name]Gram[/name]). Has anyone ever noticed varying pronunciations of this name, and is there any one official pronunciation?
I have always pronounced it [name]Gram[/name] because I used to live in a town called [name]Graham[/name], and that is how everyone there pronounced it. I’ve never heard it any other way. I don’t know if there is an official pronunciation.
I’ve always pronounced it (and heard it pronounced) [name]GRAM[/name], but I’ve heard hints that some might say it as [name]GRAY[/name]-am online… which sounds so weird to my tongue–I’m so used to just [name]Gram[/name]!
I pronounce it “[name]Gray[/name]-um” (said very quickly).
I know that in the UK it is pronounced ‘[name]Gray[/name]-um’ with two distinct syllables
Well, first, I live in the south and I’ve never heard anyone say it any way other than [name]Gram[/name] with a short A sound.
I also say it that way. I’ve honestly never heard anyone say [name]Gray[/name]-um [name]IRL[/name]
In [name]Canada[/name] and [name]Scotland[/name] it’s said [name]Graeme[/name], Graym, long a, one syllable. Maybe elsewhere in the UK it’s 2 syllables? In New [name]England[/name] I’ve heard it both ways.
I’m from the south and [name]California[/name] and it’s not [name]Gray[/name]-um, but it is kind of Grah-em, the short a vowel is definitely longer than in the word gram…
Here in Australia it is [name]Gray[/name]-um (my brother, grandfather and father in law all share this name). I thought [name]Gram[/name] was more the American accent coming into play, short vowels seem more common there.
I say [name]Gram[/name] (from MN in the US). I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the two syllable pronunciations.
From another Aussie: definitely [name]Grey[/name]-um here and in the UK
Interesting… thanks for all of the responses! I love picking apart the phonemology of names.
I am also from [name]California[/name]… I have always pronounced [name]Graham[/name] as [name]Gray[/name]-em. Two syllables but stitched togwther very quickly. I never noticed this until reading this post though. Definitely two different pronounciations for gram and [name]Graham[/name].
I have a friend called [name]Graham[/name] and he says it [name]Gray[/name]-um. I’m in the UK and I’ve never heard any different.
In the UK it’s always [name]GREY[/name]-uhm. [name]Said[/name] pretty quickly, mind you, so it tends to be blended together a little more.
I agree with jennipea382!
I’m Canadian, and I’ve never heard it pronounced [name]Gram[/name] in [name]Canada[/name] (I grew up in the east in [name]Ontario[/name]). I knew at least 3 growing up, and they were all [name]GREY[/name]-um. I personally can’t stand the ‘gram’ pronunciation, especially now that I have a 9 month old named [name]Graham[/name], and I’m currently living in the U.S, so I hear it more than I’d like. 
If people say [name]Gram[/name] back to me after I say it with 2 syllables, I just tell them to call him [name]Grey[/name] and leave it at that. But with all my European, Australian and Canadian friends, all of them say [name]GREY[/name]-um.
Here in [name]Ireland[/name] its [name]Gray[/name]-um. I know plenty of men with this name, and have never heard it pronounced any other way.