# Osama vs. Usama **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169 "2001-10-03T13:34:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169/1 "2001-10-03T13:34:26Z")
I’ve seen Bin Laden referred to as either Osama or Usama. Are they just trying to be cool like the way they say “Mooslim” instead of “Muslim”. Which is it? ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169/2 "2001-10-03T13:47:23Z")
WAG: it doesn’t matter, both are English phonetic spellings of the Arabic. As we use a different alphabet, there is no “correct” spelling in English. It does seem that the Brits tend to use “Usama” and the Americans “Osama”, which could be the source of your confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169/3 "2001-10-03T13:54:28Z")
It reminds me of how there are so many different spellings for the current leader of Libya, Muamer Quakhagadaffi. By the way, is Fox the only network that uses “Usama”? I would be curious as to the motives for choosing one spelling over another, especially when most Americans seems to go with Osama. ---
**Author:** ![pennylane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@pennylane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pennylane)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169/4 "2001-10-03T14:02:21Z")
The U/O is pronounced like the “u” in “put”. Any Arabic name starting with this sound (e.g. Omar/Umar) can be spelt with either a “u” or an “o” in English. Bin Laden’s name is spelt “Usama” on the Interpol “Wanted” poster. That’s how I prefer to spell it myself but I don’t think it makes any difference. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169/5 "2001-10-03T14:31:56Z")
It’s spelled: alif seen alif meem taa marbuta. Obviously, you pronounce it the way it’s spelled. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169/6 "2001-10-03T14:54:09Z")
And then there’s Taliban vs Taleban… ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/osama-vs-usama/85169/7 "2001-10-03T15:19:59Z")
Since this has been discussed recently, I’ll close this thread and direct any remaining unanswered questions to the earlier thread, [Osama Usama bin Laden?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=87822)