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Beatrice is definitely bee-a-tris, but I've been confused by Bea before. I know it's short for Beatrice but the first time I saw it in a book I wasn't sure whether it was bee or bee-a.

I think I just got unlucky...

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I think my first introduction to Beatrice was when my second grade teacher read the Junie B. Jones books and she pronounced it with two syllables, so that's how I always thought it was pronounced (I don't think I've heard anyone say it out loud since then). But it looks like overwhelmingly, most people pronounce it with three. I wrote it down and asked my husband how he pronounces it, and he pronounced it with three syllables too. So, yay-- I can try to come up with combos with it as a first name.

This message was edited 9/11/2017, 6:47 AM

I pronounce it Be-a-tris.

I thought there was only one way? The Tim Curry way?

Oddly enough. (and I clicked on this thread just to tell you this) I pronounce the name one way EXCEPT for when I read the Series of Unfortunate Event books.

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I always say ,"BEE-a-tris," except for when reading those dedications and such in which I magically finding myself saying, "bee-AT-ris."

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I never say bee-trice.

This message was edited 9/10/2017, 10:39 PM

Bee-a-tris, or, the Italian waz, Bay-ah-tree-chay. "Bee-tris" sounds odd to me.

Be-a-tris always. One of my favorites, love the nn Bea.

I say 'bee-a-tris.' Bay-a-tris would probably be nicer, but it's not as intuitive to me.

I have never heard it pronounced Bee-trice, always Be-a-tris or Bee-at-ris.

This issue is one reason why I dislike the name. I think "bee-uh-tris" but what comes out of my mouth sounds like it could easily be "bee-tris" with a slightly longer eee sound than it would get otherwise. The A is just so small and neutral and it feels awkward to give it the length of a whole syllable. Be a triss, or be tris, either way it's ugly.

This message was edited 9/10/2017, 5:36 PM

Be-at-ris

Be-a-tris

bee-a-tris. I have never heard anyone pronounce it bee-tris.

I say "bee-trice".

If I was consciously thinking about the pronunciation, it would be Be-a-tris. But in everyday use, common use, I feel I would probably end up saying it more like Bee-trice.

I think I used to pronounce it bee-tris but I pronounce it bee-a-tris these days.

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This message was edited 9/11/2017, 3:31 PM

Never heard Bee-trice. I say Be-A-Triss. And if I'm faking Italian and thinking of Dante's lover, bay-a-TREE-chay!

Either 'Bee-er-triss' or 'Beer-triss', somewhere in between maybe. (But neither are like 'Bee-triss'.)

This message was edited 9/10/2017, 2:11 PM

I've only ever heard it bee-a-tris. I've never heard or considered bee-trice.

It's hard for me to separate what I'd think when reading it from how I've just always heard it pronounced (which is BEE-a-TRIS). The 'a' is pronounced but not stressed. I don't recall ever reading it when I hadn't heard the name, probably because of Princess Beatrice maybe but I also went to preschool with a Beatrice.

I pronounce it like Tim Curry. It's a little better than Bee-tris but either way I hate it.

Bee-tris. Bee-a-tris is okay.

BAY-ah-trhees (the Dutch way), if I'd encounter it in English I'd still assume 3 syllables.

BEE-uh-tris. I really dislike the name but BEE-tris is about a trillion times worse. Ugh.

Three syllables, which sounds so much nicer.

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It's definitely a regional thing though, so you might want to find out about your specific area if you want to use it. My Mom says it with two syllables.

Hi !!!

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I'm Italian so I pronounce it be-a-TREE-che.

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If I try to pronounce it in English it would be BEE-a-triss.

Bee-a-tris. I didn't know it could be Bee-tris? Either Bee-a-tris or in Italian, bee-a-tree-che, I encountered one of those once.

This message was edited 9/10/2017, 12:03 PM

In Swedish we pronounce it be-a-TREES. In English I would pronounce it BE-a-triss.

I pronounce it like Tim Curry does: three syllables, the first of which is emphasized and rhymes with "me."

I pronounce it Be-a-tris. I really dislike the 2-syllable pronunciation because it reminds me of beats. It's my 5 year old niece's name.

A Series of Unfortunate Events brings back memories! Not enough that I remember Beatrice, but still. I say Bee-uh-triss, and always have. But I have heard my mum say Bee-ay-triss and Bee-ay-trix (for Beatrix), which I find a little weird, but better than Bee-tris.

Bee-a-triss. That's how it's usually pronounced here.

Be-a-triss. I always assumed that was the proper way based on knowing Beatrix Potter and hearing my mom say Be-a-trix all the time.

BEE-ə-tris

I say be-a-tris. Beat-ris sounds very odd to me.