# How do you say it? \[How to pronounce Cecil\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236 "2023-06-28T15:08:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/21 "2023-06-28T16:55:09Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Very much this. I would sound ridiculous saying ‘see-sil’, and would treat anyone who did with deep suspicion. Unless they were American. American exceptionalism strikes again! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/22 "2023-06-28T17:53:56Z")
Moderator Note - Thread title edited for clarity. Please use more descriptive thread titles. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/23 "2023-06-28T17:56:26Z")
You win the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/24 "2023-06-28T18:11:05Z")
Oops. Sorry. 😊 ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/25 "2023-06-28T18:36:20Z")
That video proves Ed Zotti can’t be Cecil Adams, as the world’s smartest human wouldn’t pronounce their own name wrong. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/26 "2023-06-28T18:42:56Z")
Unless that’s part of the misdirection. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/27 "2023-06-28T19:13:31Z")
It’s his name. Any way he pronounces it would be correct. Keh-e-kill Aa-dee-am-see isn’t out of the picture. It has a nice alien feel, like J’onn J’onzz. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/28 "2023-06-28T19:22:39Z")
Anyway I say it I call @Cecil_Adams my good friend. Just chat, chat, chat. All the time. Man is just relentless. ☺ ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/29 "2023-06-28T22:18:41Z")
Believe it or not, this question has existed almost as long as the SDMB itself. > [@How does Cecil pronounce Cecil?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/16): > > The correct way, by definition. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/30 "2023-06-28T22:27:03Z")
Which way is the default way for you? Because for me, I can’t tell if I hear “Seh” or “See” in the first syllable more often. I say “Seh-suhl” much more often, I think, but I go back and forth. I’m probably influenced by “Cecil B. Demented.” ETA: Oh, wait. Cecil Fielder. I’ve always said that with “seh” in the first syllable. Though it seems a quick online search says “See-suhl.” Weird. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/31 "2023-06-28T22:31:27Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > ETA: Oh, wait. Cecil Fielder. I’ve always said that with “seh” in the first syllable. Though it seems a quick online search says “See-suhl.” Weird. His page on Baseball Reference (which is, on the whole, pretty authoritative) gives a pronunciation of “SESS-il,” which is how I remember it being pronounced when he played with the Tigers in the early '90s. > **[Cecil Fielder Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |...](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fieldce01.shtml)** > > Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Cecil Fielder. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com ---
**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:** [June 28, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/32 "2023-06-28T22:32:37Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > His page on Baseball Reference (which is, on the whole, pretty authoritative) gives a pronunciation of “SESS-il,” which is how I remember it being pronounced when he played with the Tigers in the early '90s. Ok, thank you. I’m not going crazy. Or at least if I am, that’s not a sign of it. I was really starting to question my pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Plutonium\_Chef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/plutonium_chef/32/11211_2.png) [@Plutonium\_Chef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plutonium_Chef)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/33 "2023-06-28T23:11:44Z")
I _was_ going to reply, “How is this a question? Many times, Cecil referred to himself as ‘Cece’ or ‘Unca Cece’. ‘Cece’ should be pronounced ‘seess’ or ‘cease’, which implies ‘see-sil’. The man has spoken.” Then I did due diligence and searched the Straight Dope for ‘Cece’. Found 20 pages. On none of them does Cecil refer to himself as ‘Cece’ – in all cases _somebody else_ calls him that. Usually, it’s somebody submitting a question. In just [one case](https://www.straightdope.com/21343709/will-looking-directly-at-a-solar-eclipse-make-you-go-blind), a note from the researcher Bibliophage uses the term. So, twenty people, including Bibliophage have called Cecil ‘Cece’. The Great Man has never seen fit to rebuke these people for this, nor has he offered any other pronunciation. Trials in Scotland can end in a third verdict “not proven”. I think that applies here: It sure looks like his name is pronounced ‘see-sil’ (‘seess’ for short), but it’s not proven. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/34 "2023-06-28T23:14:55Z")
I always read ‘Cece’ as C.C. I know, I know. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/35 "2023-06-28T23:53:19Z")
I believe that was my 16th post. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/36 "2023-06-29T00:06:03Z")
Well, I’m in good company it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/37 "2023-06-29T00:16:58Z")
Upon watching the clip thoughtfully provided by **jnglmassiv** I realized Ed is pronouncing the Master’s name as “Cee-suhl.” Since I have no doubt that Cecil would have beaten Little Ed into the ground for mispronouncing his name on TV, we have to accept Ed’s pronunciation as definitive. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/38 "2023-06-29T00:35:15Z")
> [@Plutonium\_Chef](#): > > I _was_ going to reply, “How is this a question? Many times, Cecil referred to himself as ‘Cece’ or ‘Unca Cece’. ‘Cece’ should be pronounced ‘seess’ or ‘cease’, which implies ‘see-sil’. The man has spoken.” Glad I read through the whole thread because I was going to point this out, too. Plus, TubaDiva always pronouced his name as See-sil, or Unca Sees. That was good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/39 "2023-06-29T00:47:47Z")
I thought it was Inglethorpe Dinwiddy. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2023, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236/40 "2023-06-29T01:10:51Z")
Why not “Uncle Sess”? Or even “Sessie”, rhyming with Jesse Ventura? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-say-it-how-to-pronounce-cecil/986236.md?page=3)