# How does Cecil pronounce Cecil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2000, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075 "2000-07-19T09:01:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [July 19, 2000, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/1 "2000-07-19T09:01:03Z")
I always assumed it was **SEE-s’l** , but now that I think of it, I don’t know of anyone with the name who pronounced it that way. I could be mistaken, but I think both Cecil B. De Mille and Cecil Rhodes pronounced it **SEH-s’l**. My dictionary admits either pronunciation. According to one source, _Cecil_ means “blind.” Gee, I hope he sees this question and answers it. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/2 "2000-07-19T09:09:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > **I always assumed it was SEE-s’l, but now that I think of it, I don’t know of anyone with the name who pronounced it that way.** How about Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/3 "2000-07-19T09:52:04Z")
He probably pronounces it “me”. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/4 "2000-07-19T10:09:20Z")
With the royal ‘C’. “SEE-s’l”. ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/5 "2000-07-19T12:22:04Z")
Cecil’s all-too brief TV show pronounced it SEE-s’l ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/6 "2000-07-19T15:27:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > **I always assumed it was SEE-s’l, but now that I think of it, I don’t know of anyone with the name who pronounced it that way.** My husband’s brother’s name is Cecil, and he pronounces it SEE-s’l. (As does hubby’s uncle of the same name.) FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/7 "2000-07-19T15:43:44Z")
He pronounces it “Ed Zotti”. :D:D:D:D (ducking and running) ---
**Author:** ![randomlyblanks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@randomlyblanks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randomlyblanks)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/8 "2000-07-19T20:51:00Z")
just kickin’ it to where Cecil will see it. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/9 "2000-07-19T22:48:25Z")
This topic came up just 3 months ago ([here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=16087)). Cecil didn’t answer it then. ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/10 "2000-07-19T22:52:57Z")
I miss Cecil. Come back man! \ ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2000, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/11 "2000-07-20T09:09:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dtilque \* > \*\*This topic came up just 3 months ago ([here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=16087)). Cecil didn’t answer it then. > \*\* He doesn’t have to answer it with hoardes of fans (like phobos and me) out here to answer it for him. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2000, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/12 "2000-07-20T09:37:30Z")
Is the SEE-s’l way just the way American’s say it? Anybody I know would always say SEH-s’l . ---
**Author:** ![TheThill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheThill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheThill)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2000, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/13 "2000-07-20T09:57:10Z")
No, I’ve heard Americans say/be called SEH-sil. Like the baseball player, Cecil Fielder. I’ve never heard him refered to as SEE-sil. ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2000, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/14 "2000-07-20T10:08:29Z")
SEE-s’l. Just take Phobos’ and my word for it. Karmageddon: It’s like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it’s like a serious bummer. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2000, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/15 "2000-07-20T12:25:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dtilque \* > \*\*This topic came up just 3 months ago ([here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=16087)). Cecil didn’t answer it then. > \*\* Thanks for the link. I swear I searched the SDMB for anything remotely like that. Why didn’t I see it? > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Phobos_ **Cecil’s all-too brief TV show pronounced it SEE-s’l** Thanks for the answer. I never saw the show since it was already off the air before I knew it existed. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2000, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/16 "2000-07-20T18:21:02Z")
> [@](#): > > How does Cecil pronounce Cecil? The correct way, by definition. ---
**Author:** ![TampaFlyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71e660/32.png) [@TampaFlyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TampaFlyer)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/17 "2000-07-21T20:30:47Z")
Sort of a funny story- a friend emailed me to tell me he got engaged to a woman named Cheri. I wrote back asking how to pronounce her name. He said he pronounces it shaREE, but she pronounces it like Sherry. I suggested maybe she knows the best way to say her own name. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2000, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/18 "2000-07-22T04:52:40Z")
No, it’s only written ‘Cecil’ - it’s pronounced “Throat-Warbler Mangrove” (apologies to non-Monty Python fans) ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-cecil-pronounce-cecil/26075/19 "2000-07-24T05:48:14Z")
Oops - just noticed that in the thread referred to above, someone already did that Python quote. How unoriginal of me. Regarding the OP - in England I only ever heard the name pronounced “Sess-sil”, whereas “See-sil” seems to be the American version?