# Osama or Usama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498 "2004-02-27T18:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/1 "2004-02-27T18:19:50Z")
Speaking about Bin Laden, of course. Which is the correct way to spell his first name? I’ve seen it spelled both ways. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/2 "2004-02-27T18:45:55Z")
Either. It’s a transliteration from another script, so there’s no ‘correct’ version. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/3 "2004-02-27T20:24:53Z")
It’s pronounced “Barney”. Funny how the networks always get that wrong… ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/4 "2004-02-27T22:00:12Z")
If you believe [David Pacheco,](http://www.digiserve.com/eescape/closet/silly/Last-Time-I-Saw-Bin-Laden.html) then it’s originally “Osama,” but the CIA made him change it to “Usama” as a reminder of thei help they gave him. Of course, if you believe _that,_ then you also have to believe bin Laden was boozing it up in Vegas, throwing disposable _burquas_ to passing women, and trying to convince a doorman at Circus Circus to defect to the Taliban… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/5 "2004-02-28T01:23:54Z")
I prefer to pronounce it ‘SCUMBAG’ …but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/6 "2004-02-28T01:27:40Z")
I think the change from Osama to Usama just a way for the media to make themselves appear enlightened. One outlet did it first, then the other outlets jumped on the bandwagon. Kind of like that Libyan fellow. Is it spelled with a K, a Q or a G? ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/7 "2004-02-28T01:35:11Z")
Standard Arabic only has three vowels, one of them is intermediate between “o” and “u”. Also Arabic has a multitude of dialects. I happen to know a Moroccan with that name, due to the French influence in his country, he transliterates it as “Oussama”. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/8 "2004-02-28T01:49:07Z")
> [@Phase42](#): > > Kind of like that Libyan fellow. Is it spelled with a K, a Q or a G? From people who should know: > [@](#): > > EXPLANATORY NOTE > > ``` > This file contains the complete > text of THE GREEN BOOK (Part One) > by **Mu`ammar al-Qadhafi**. > > This translation was published by the > Public Establishment for Publishing, > Advertising and Distribution in Tripoli, > Libya. > > Absolute fidelity to the original has > been maintained, including page and line > numbers. > > ``` (bolding mine) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/9 "2004-02-28T01:54:51Z")
The same book is available, in Libya, in Hebrew. Should we take that as an authentic representation of Hebrew grammar? (…errrm yes, I suppose I’m being facetious) ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/10 "2004-02-28T01:59:07Z")
\*\* Osama aka USAma R. I. P.\*\* Otherwise who cares? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/11 "2004-02-28T02:02:04Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > \*\* > Osama aka USAma > R. I. P.\*\* > > Otherwise who cares? 😕😕😕 that made no sense whatsoever ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/12 "2004-02-28T02:12:38Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > The same book is available, in Libya, in Hebrew. Should we take that as an authentic representation of Hebrew grammar? (…errrm yes, I suppose I’m being facetious) I know it’s only one transliteration and doesn’t mean much technically but the Libyan sources I can remember use this version. This was just the best cite I found right now. If the Colonel himself has an opinion on that topic we can safely assume that this should be ok. Otherwise it is not that wrong either. Ok, it doesn’t matter that much. You won. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/13 "2004-02-28T02:19:48Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > 😕😕😕 > > that made no sense whatsoever From OP: “Which is the correct way to spell his first name? I’ve seen it spelled both ways.” Spell it both ways and carve it on his monument. He won’t care and we will all be shut of him! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/14 "2004-02-28T02:24:44Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > From OP: “Which is the correct way to spell his first name? I’ve seen it spelled both ways.” > > Spell it both ways and carve it on his monument. > He won’t care and we will all be shut of him! A martyr with two transliterations!!! Damn I’ll sleep sound when that happens :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-or-usama/231498/15 "2004-02-28T15:22:41Z")
So it can be spelled either way? Sure wasn’t expecting that. Thanks all.