Dear RC: I have never heard "haitch" except as a joke.

Whoa! We must all be jokes on the East side of the pond, then. I have always pronounced it as 'haitch' and have heard no other variations within GB and IRL. No, I think it's a North American thang.

It grates me more to hear 'aitch' but not as much as hearing 'an aitch'. I mean, we don't pronounce 'h' words beginning with the article 'an'. An hospital? I don't think so. To do that it would become An ospital.

A haitch. A hospital.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. Honour and Hour are but two. For these I would accept an aitch and an hour.