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I prefer R-abella and think that you can't really say which pronounciation is used more often.

AIR-abella is how I say it.

I associate the name soley with the Harry Potter books, and the HP audio books always say Air-a-bella. I think most people would pronounce it Arabella. I'm not sure what the correct pronouncation actually is.

I say R-abella and I think it is a very pretty name. Not plain at all. AIR-abella just doesn't sound right to me (the AIR part is just not appealing to me).

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~Arie~

I say the "a" like in "at" or "ago." Just a-ra-bell-a, with no emphasis on any part.

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It's such a quick correction anyway that it shouldn't matter much. I don't think someone would be so bothered by that.

I did a thread on this several months ago. I prefer the ar-a-BELLA pronunciation (not air). She may have to correct some people. If you love the name enough, it may be worth it to you. Most people get my name (Elena) correctly the first time. I think she'd be fine.

This message was edited 5/19/2006, 2:09 PM

My friends who have names like this aren't bothered by it; my first instinct would be to say, "AIR-uh-BEL-uh."

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-- Sarah

She'd have to correct me. I pronounce it Ah-rah-beh-lah. ;-) The AHR-rah-beh-lah pronounciation sounds very upper-class British - I don't think many other people would use it.

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- Maria
Pro-Sissy-Names.

I pron. it as ah-rah-BELL-ah, so you would have to correct me if you emphasize the AHR. About air or ahr, I think that depends on where you're from, overhere no one would think to say air.

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