On 17-Aug-10, at 1:03 PM, Anne Burgess wrote: >> * Agnes is a >> French-based word. The "g" would be silent (or >> mouthed), similar to the one in "sign". A final "s" >> in French is not >> pronounced. So this name would have been pronounced >> as "Anna". > I don't think so. > > The name Agnes is not, apparently, directly related to French > 'agneau' which means 'lamb'. It is of Greek origin. > > I have two French friends named Agnes. There is a grave accent on > the 'e' which I cannot type here and the stress is on the second > syllable, not the first. Both of them pronounce the final 's', > making the name sound like "ann-YESS" The Agnes I know in Quebec also pronounce the name in this way, the hard "g" sound becomes a "y" sound, something like the middle syllable in the English word "onion." The final "s" is definitely pronounced, and depending on the person's origin, the "s" sometimes sounds like a "z." > > All the various Agneses I know in Scotland pronounce the name as it > is spelled, but with the stress on the first syllable, making it > "AGG-niss" > > In spite of the completely different origins of the names Ann/e/a > and Agnes, they are occasionally used in place of one another. They > share the diminutives Nan and Nancy. See www.whatsinaname.net > > Anne Agree. Carolyn