# Different Ways To Pronounce Names Spelled The Same **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 30, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055 "2007-06-30T17:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/21 "2007-07-01T02:54:18Z")
I dunno how many different ways you can pronouce Martin, but I had a soccer coach when I was younger who could not manage to call me anything besides “Morton”. Yes, he knew how it was spelled, and that is how he pronounced it. I think he was from, eh, somewhere over nort’ by dere. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/22 "2007-07-01T09:12:07Z")
Mih shell and Iv onn,pronounced by thick cunts in England as Meeeeshell and Eve onn. Some old English names that I personally think the pronunciation is silly Cholmondely which is spoken as chumley,Mainwaring ,mannering and Magdalene (as in the university college )maudlin. ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/23 "2007-07-01T09:54:07Z")
Aaron. Here we pronounce it as it’s written, Aaron. The American pronunciation, Airen. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/24 "2007-07-01T11:31:22Z")
So do you say “ah ah RAHN”? Saying “as written” doesn’t always clear things up. :dubious: It gets me when people say their own names differently but keep the spelling. This sets up a pronunciation trap that can be used to one-up strangers. “No, it’s SuzAHnne.” “I say MeLEEsa, actually.” Well fine, Melissa, but why not spell it Melisa? (I see no easy fix for Suzanne.) ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/25 "2007-07-01T14:39:10Z")
[QUOTE=jastu] Aaron. Here we pronounce it as it’s written, Aaron. The American pronunciation, Airen. [/QUOTE] Not by THIS American! 🙂 My brother’s name is Aaron. There’s a country music star named Aaron Tippen. The only time I’ve ever heard it pronounced AY-ron was the year we lived in Louisiana. We pronounce it just like the girl’s name Erin. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/26 "2007-07-01T15:25:45Z")
Alicia can be a-leash-a or a-lee-see-a Ana can be ohn-a or ann-a or, in the case of my little sister who insists on extending all her vowels, eeeaaaaaaanna (or eeeeaaaaann, which is her name) Laura… some people say lor-a, some people say lah-ra, some people say lair-a ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/27 "2007-07-01T16:31:44Z")
How about IRAQ? Irr-ahhk or Irr-ak (UK) Eye-rak (USA) I wonder how Iraqis say it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/28 "2007-07-01T16:38:57Z")
Cassandra ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/29 "2007-07-01T16:46:21Z")
**Shawn**. The ‘w’ is pronounced in some dialects, not in others. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/30 "2007-07-01T19:07:46Z")
Can I include place names? Chili - pronounced with two long I sounds: Cheyeleye. Though most people new to the area try to talk about Chilly. Charlotte - emphasis is normally on the first syllable: SHAR-lot, the local town is known as Shar-LOT. You don’t want to have me even touch how you should pronounce Nunda… ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/31 "2007-07-01T23:14:32Z")
[QUOTE=Kneepants Erasmus, the Humanist] There is a street here called “Maria”. Apparently people pronounce it “Mariah”. I’ve no idea why, and I refuse to participate. [/QUOTE] I’ve heard that there’s a place where [they call the wind Maria](http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/paintyourwagon/theycallthewindmaria.htm), pronouncing it ma-RYE-a. The same pronunciation is used in the phrase [_Black Maria_](http://www.answers.com/black+maria&r=67), a synonym for _paddy wagon_. **SurrenderDorothy** : I pronounce _Laura_ “LAWR-a”. If I heard “LAIR-a” or “LAR-a”, I’d assume the name was spelled _Lara_. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/32 "2007-07-01T23:16:37Z")
Guy. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/33 "2007-07-02T00:39:48Z")
Dana–Day-na or Dawn-a. ---
**Author:** ![Chanteuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/34 "2007-07-02T02:06:21Z")
[QUOTE=Jayn\_Newell] Dana–Day-na or Dawn-a. [/QUOTE] I knew two people with the name Dana. One was a man, who pronounced it DAY-na. The other was a woman–she pronounced it as DAN-na. ---
**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/35 "2007-07-02T02:12:47Z")
Down south we have a corner on this market. Our pediatrician’s name is Chevalier, which can be pronounced **Shev** -a-leer or Shev- **all** -yay. Robert is Robert like the name or **Ro** -bear (that’s one’s about 50%/50%). Same with Hebert except it’s almost always **aye** -bear. Melancon = mel- **awe** -sawn Boudreaux - **boo** -droe Thibodeaux = ti- **buh** -doe My favorite is to get Yankees to try and pronounce the name of [this town.](http://www.google.com/maps?q=Natchitoches,+LA,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title) knack-i-dish I wish I knew how to make a spoiler box. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/36 "2007-07-02T02:16:55Z")
type the word ‘spoiler’ between these brackets , type your spoiler comment, then type ‘/spoiler’ between the brackets again. If you go to reply to this post you’ll be able to see the codes that let me put the pronounciation you’d listed in to this spoiler box. knack-i-dish ---
**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/37 "2007-07-02T02:28:14Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki] type the word ‘spoiler’ between these brackets , type your spoiler comment, then type ‘/spoiler’ between the brackets again. [/QUOTE] Thanks! I’ve learned my new thing for the day … guess I can go to bed now 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/38 "2007-07-02T02:45:52Z")
[QUOTE=Jayn\_Newell] Dana–Day-na or Dawn-a. [/QUOTE] My name’s Donna, and I recently had the experience of being on the phone with a customer service rep. who wanted to spell it d-a-n-a. I was really confused then, but I guess that explains it. I’ve never heard of Dana being pronounced like that. This is more regional accent than anything, but I say “don-uh”. Like the men’s name Don(btw I pronounce Dawn and Don identically). A lot of people say my name as something like “dahh-nuh”, which sounds so wrong to me. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055/39 "2007-07-02T03:27:06Z")
My name Cormac can be pronounced: Cor-muck Cor-mick Car-mick Cor-mack and several times in the United States I’ve been called Mac-Cor-mack probably because it’s not such a common name in those parts and is often only heard as a surname. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-ways-to-pronounce-names-spelled-the-same/410055.md?page=1)