Aaron vs. Erin pronunciation

[SaraJayne]

I voted "Pronounced Differently". To me, the are very close, but there is a difference.

Aaron = AIR-N
Erin = ERR-N (like to err on the side of caution)

Seems like if I say them, I open my mouth more when I say Aaron. I have been sitting here a couple minutes saying them out loud and I notice a slight difference.

"Air" and "Err" are pronounced the same.

 

[Poohforyou]

"Air" and "Err" are pronounced the same.

Aaron doesn't really have the "air" sound which, you're right, sounds the same as "err". It's more like the sound in Harry without the H.

 

[EMom]

"Air" and "Err" are pronounced the same.

Not coming out of my mouth.

air as in share

err as in well, err Or the "err" part of berry

You wouldn't say Barry and berry the same, would you?

 

[phorsenuf]

Aaron doesn't really have the "air" sound which, you're right, sounds the same as "err". It's more like the sound in Harry without the H.

You lost me on that one. Air and Arry (Harry minus the H) sounds the same to me.

Air-ren- Aaron
Eh-ren-Erin


Air-ren is how we pronounce our sons name.

 

[kaytieeldr]

(From NJ) Everyone around here that I know says these two names exactly the same. Differently would keep me from using it!

DD's middle name is Lauren but so many people say that name Loren.

Again, 2 different names, Loren for a boy and Lauren for a girl.


Of course, a name like Ryan is not said with a long "I" around here so Ryan, Bryan etc. were off my lists too. Pin and pen are said the same way too.

Okay, not picking on this poster. Just using the post to vent

Simply because most people are too lazy (yes, really) to enunciate correctly doesn't make a pronunciation or usage correct. Especially everyone who went through the entire public school system in this country - and most particularly native English speakers - learned proper pronunciation. That includes long and short vowels, diphthongs, vowels followed by a consonant...

Pronounced exactly alike....

Aaron (boy) and Erin (girl) are both pronounced "air - in"

Neither is properly pronounced that way (quoting this poster for convenience only, realizing many others have used the same sample). Aaron rhymes with baron; Erin rhymes with heron (in both rhymed words, the 'o' is elided).

 

[EMom]

Neither is properly pronounced that way (quoting this poster for convenience only, realizing many others have used the same sample). Aaron rhymes with baron; Erin rhymes with heron (in both rhymed words, the 'o' is elided).

Baron = Aaron

and

Heron = Erin

Good examples.

 

[MichelleVW]

You wouldn't say Barry and berry the same, would you?

Barry and berry sound exactly alike, so yes, I would say them the same.

 

[Poohforyou]

You lost me on that one. Air and Arry (Harry minus the H) sounds the same to me.

Air-ren- Aaron
Eh-ren-Erin


Air-ren is how we pronounce our sons name.

Really? That's like saying Harry and hairy sound the same or marry and merry. They're completely different IMO.

 

[MichelleVW]

Really? That's like saying Harry and hairy sound the same or marry and merry. They're completely different IMO.

They sound the same to me..

 

[phorsenuf]

Really? That's like saying Harry and hairy sound the same or marry and merry. They're completely different IMO.

Harry and Hairy do sound alike. Marry and merry sound different though.

 

[EMom]

New vote: Who says Barry and berry the same? We already have one vote.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Barry and berry sound exactly alike, so yes, I would say them the same.

They sound the same to me..

Harry and Hairy do sound alike. Marry and merry sound different though.

Not when they're pronounced correctly. And no, I'm not perfect. But when I'm saying words that sound similar, I try to make sure they don't sound identical/the same.

 

[phorsenuf]

Not when they're pronounced correctly. And no, I'm not perfect. But when I'm saying words that sound similar, I try to make sure they don't sound identical/the same.

So to you, does Harry and hairy sound alike or different? What about Marry and merry?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Baron = Aaron

and

Heron = Erin

Good examples.

Thank you. I thought examples would help.

Looks like I thought wrong .

 

[phorsenuf]

Thank you. I thought examples would help.

Looks like I thought wrong .

Nope, that's how I pronounce them. I thought they were spot on examples.

 

[hollieplus2]

If you really want to make the poor kid miserable for life, I guess.

Um....my DH's name is ERIN....as in the "girls" name. He doesn't hate it and we've actually come across a couple other male Erin's and they've all liked it too. Said it was unique, definitely a conversation starter!!! MIL said the names Erin and Aaron are pronounced differently and she liked Erin better. DH said the only time it was weird was when he tried to date an Erin, said he just couldn't do it...too weird.

I honestly pronounce both versions the same but I'm proud to be married to an Erin!!!!

 

[Poohforyou]

So to you, does Harry and hairy sound alike or different? What about Marry and merry?

Harry = marry = Barry (same sound as Aaron)
hairy = merry = berry (same sound as Erin)

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Do you pronounce Aaron and Erin the same way or differently?

What gender do you associate the names with?

Oops messed up the poll. I wanted it to be multiple choice.

Aaron is a boy and Erin is a girl.

Different pronunciation.

 

[Erin1700]

I am Erin air-in.

I hate when people call me R-in.

Aaron is pronounced both Aaaa-Ron or air-in here.

 

[jahber]

Okay, not picking on this poster. Just using the post to vent

Simply because most people are too lazy (yes, really) to enunciate correctly doesn't make a pronunciation or usage correct. Especially everyone who went through the entire public school system in this country - and most particularly native English speakers - learned proper pronunciation. That includes long and short vowels, diphthongs, vowels followed by a consonant...

Neither is properly pronounced that way (quoting this poster for convenience only, realizing many others have used the same sample). Aaron rhymes with baron; Erin rhymes with heron (in both rhymed words, the 'o' is elided).

Be careful...this is a slippery slope. Because Brits would argue that we pronounce most of our words incorrectly (although technically, the pronunciation of New Englanders is probably more true to pre-1600's English than modern Brits). And I would argue, having grown up in the south and having studied the development of spoken English in grad school, that "correct" punctuation is a relative term. As in, relative to what country, region, state, county, or even sometimes what town you live in.
Fwiw, I enjoyed many hours of fun trying to think up words for my college roomate (from Boston) to pronounce. Merry, Mary, marry (what? You say them differently???). Strawbehrry? Squirr-ell? (mine's more like a 1-syllable "skwerl"). Don and Dawn? No difference to me! Good times.

And if your name IS pronounced Eh-rin, then people SHOULD pronounce it that way. I've just never met one who cared either way. Or, at least, none of my Erin/Aaron friends ever corrected me.