Pronouncing the name "Maria" and "Mariah"

Been there done that   Sun Jul 19, 2009 1:47 pm GMT
How do English speakers pronounce the name "Maria" and "Mariah"?

Is the name "Maria" always pronounced as "MA-RI-Ah(Mo-Ree-Ah)"?

Is the name "Mariah" always pronounced as "MA-RAI-Ah(Mo-Rye-Ah)"?
a more original name.   Sun Jul 19, 2009 2:16 pm GMT
I am a native English speaker, but for me, the first vowel is not the same vowel in the name MOE. It is more of a schwa sound, and the emphasis is on the second syllable.
Been there done that   Sun Jul 19, 2009 3:17 pm GMT
Thanks for the feedback but my point is how you pronounce the second syllable.

Is it "ma-RI-ah" or "ma-RYE-ah"?
becky   Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:16 pm GMT
muh-REE-uh
muh-RYE-uh
Out of Curiosity   Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:49 am GMT
If your parents decided to call you "muh-REE-ah" but you want to be called as "muh-RYE-Ah" later, then can you ask people to call you "muh-RYE-ah"?
smith   Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:55 pm GMT
Yeah, in the same way that the lady whose last name was spelt "Smith" asked to be called "Jones" in that joke. If you were "Mariah" and wanted to be called Mariah--just move to a foreign country, and most people would pronounce it as Maria.