# How do you pronounce Cthulhu? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956 "2010-11-08T20:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/1 "2010-11-08T20:50:36Z")
A friend recently had a picture of [Cthulhu](http://images.hollywood.com/site/cthulhu.jpg)as his facebook photo. And then I saw him at his house and asked him to pronounce it…I apparently butchered it, so some help would be nice? How the heck do you pronounce Cthulhu? ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/2 "2010-11-08T20:52:12Z")
kuh-thoo-loo ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/3 "2010-11-08T20:53:12Z")
You don’t, you damned fool! Madness is the very _least_ you risk by invoking that dread and ancient name! More to the point (and thankfully), you can’t - pronouncing That Name requires depraved and eldritch organs of speech that _homo sapiens_ doesn’t possess. “Kah-thoo-loo” is about as close as we can get. Still closer than it’s _prudent_ to get, I would point out. ---
**Author:** ![pantheon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@pantheon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantheon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/4 "2010-11-08T20:53:41Z")
Generally: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkGqJqvWOUs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkGqJqvWOUs) But Lovecraft said the language of the Old Ones wasn’t really translatable/meant for human tongue. Also, what they said above lol. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/5 "2010-11-08T21:00:47Z")
> [@pantheon](#): > > Generally: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkGqJqvWOUs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkGqJqvWOUs) Interesting. I say it without the schwah in the first syllable, so it’s Kthoo-loo. Not that I have ever really found occasion to say this word. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/6 "2010-11-08T21:10:07Z")
Among the first times I read the name, I somehow swapped the _t_ and the _h_, and it came out in my head as “ **Cha-too-loo** ”. Even realizing that it’s wrong, I haven’t changed it. The hard _Ch_ at the start makes it sound harsher and nastier to me, and I like it that way. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/7 "2010-11-08T21:12:29Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > You don’t, you damned fool! Madness is the very _least_ you risk by invoking that dread and ancient name! > > More to the point (and thankfully), you can’t - pronouncing That Name requires depraved and eldritch organs of speech that _homo sapiens_ doesn’t possess. “Kah-thoo-loo” is about as close as we can get. Still closer than it’s _prudent_ to get, I would point out. Very similar to what my friend said :dubious: … ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/8 "2010-11-08T21:17:16Z")
Per [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu#Spelling_and_pronunciation), Lovecraft’s pronunciation was something close to “Klooloo”, although that doesn’t seem to have caught on. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/9 "2010-11-08T21:28:32Z")
One of the film/TV adaptations of Lovecraft had what I consider the best pronunciation. Wish I could remember which one, but it was pronounced with different emphasis: Kut-hool-hoo. (Where maybe the Kut would be better as K’t). But for everyday usage, most fans will pronounce it Kah-thoo-loo. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/10 "2010-11-08T21:49:28Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > Very similar to what my friend said :dubious: … Smart friend! I’m glad people are making sure their friends are Cthulhu-aware. Remember: Friends don’t let friends invoke the names of the Elder Gods. ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/11 "2010-11-08T21:58:29Z")
I’ve always assumed ‘Kuthew-lou’ Three sounds, two syllables. The first pronounced like ‘thew,’ with a hard K in front. The real question is, how do you pronounce "ia ia!’? – Now I REALLY wanna play Arkham Horror . . . ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/12 "2010-11-08T22:02:22Z")
> [@Ura-Maru](#): > > I’ve always assumed ‘Kuthew-lou’ Three sounds, two syllables. The first pronounced like ‘thew,’ with a hard K in front. > > The real question is, how do you pronounce "ia ia!'? > > – > Now I REALLY wanna play Arkham Horror . . . I believe it’s “eee-yah, eee-yah” - that’s how it was pronounced in _Dagon_, at any rate. (Great, underrated movie, btw). And ftaghn is “fah-tah-gan”, with a slight emphasis on the middle syllable of obscene and alien space. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/13 "2010-11-08T22:02:40Z")
AAAAAAGblblbrblrblghquackquackpthhhhhlblblblblblburble… ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/14 "2010-11-08T22:10:23Z")
I pronounce the second _H_ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/15 "2010-11-08T22:11:30Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I pronounce the second _H_ For which offense, you will be eaten last. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/16 "2010-11-08T22:22:44Z")
Throatwarblermangrove. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/17 "2010-11-08T22:53:30Z")
A hard but barely pronounced “keh” noise followed quickly by Thew-loo. Say it all together quickly. I blame Icelandic for teaching me new and interesting ways to string together phenomes. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/18 "2010-11-08T23:05:28Z")
[Sing along](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut82TDjciSg) Note: Reward offered for online source to order one of those shirts. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/19 "2010-11-08T23:41:07Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Among the first times I read the name, I somehow swapped the _t_ and the _h_, and it came out in my head as “ **Cha-too-loo** ”. > > Even realizing that it’s wrong, I haven’t changed it. The hard _Ch_ at the start makes it sound harsher and nastier to me, and I like it that way. Really? To me ‘Cha-too-loo’ sounds like either some kind of online messaging program, or a latin dance night that’s accidentally missing the first two 'cha-'s. But of course, my human brain may well have been warped by exposure to unspeakable horrors that man cannot comprehend. After all, it is not the sounds itself but the mental emanations that the Old Ones perceive, even in their deathless sleep. It is dangerous even to meditate on the names that must not be spoken. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956/20 "2010-11-09T00:08:39Z")
Try pronouncing it “Hastur Hastur Hastur!” - the louder the better. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-pronounce-cthulhu/559956.md?page=2)