This guy’s name appears in the credits of most episodes of That 70’s Show (I’ve been watching on Netflix). The pronunciation of his name eludes me.
Any suggestions?
Any reason why it shouldn’t be pronounced exactly as it’s spelled? (ie Dez Ho-tel (as in hotel). Des may simply be Desmond abbreviated.
His surname is two words: Des Hotel. His first name is Rob.
In French, one would elide the “Des”, as the word “Hotel” is pronounced like it starts with a vowel. So “Dayz-'Otel” would be appropriate. However, Americans may pronounce it otherwise, so it could be “Day Hotel” or some other variation.
Larceny in short-stay rental accommodation in France.
It would have to be either “de l’hôtel” or “des hôtels;” otherwise, cela n’est pas français.
If he’s anything like Brett Favre, he’ll pronounce it any way he pleases.
Right; but that’s not how he spells it. If it’s an Americanized version of des hotels, it can still be pronounced as I indicated, because we’re a feisty lot, and we don’t care about no stinking French grammar rules. For all we know, it could be “dayhottle”. 
For that matter, people keep trying to Frenchify my last name, even though it’s not of French origin; it just looks like it is; it’s actually rooted in the Welsh language.
*Chefguy *is Welsh?
That can’t be. Not enough letters and compacted diphthongs for that to be true.
I knew a guy with this name. He pronounced it all as one word: des-oh-tel. The middle syllable was unstressed, sort of like laundromat.
For all we know, he pronounces it “Fan-shaw”; we’d have to find a video of him saying his name to know for sure.
With the end of the previous word added to the beginning of the next, since it starts with a vowel or silent “H” -
Day-Zoe-Tell
Of course, in North America, anything can happen to French and usually does.
There’s a place near Ottawa, IIvaguelyRC, called “dayswisha”, or Des St. Joachim…
See comments upthread.
Not to mention Soo Saint Maree. (Sault Ste. Marie)
Nobody’s said “Throat Wobbler Mangrove” yet?