# Other words that contain "ph" pronounced as "vee" other than STEPHEN **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-words-that-contain-ph-pronounced-as-vee-other-than-stephen/118954 "2002-07-14T22:25:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [July 16, 2002, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-words-that-contain-ph-pronounced-as-vee-other-than-stephen/118954/21 "2002-07-16T13:46:22Z")
Hey! We may have a winner. [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) does say that “nevyoo” is a British pronunciation of “nephew”! Well, that’s one word at least. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-words-that-contain-ph-pronounced-as-vee-other-than-stephen/118954/22 "2002-07-16T17:29:05Z")
Hm. Well, it all depends on what you mean by French… in Quebec, for example, Stéphane is much more common than Étienne. ---
**Author:** ![Bindlestiff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Bindlestiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bindlestiff)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-words-that-contain-ph-pronounced-as-vee-other-than-stephen/118954/23 "2002-07-16T20:36:41Z")
For what it’s worth, I have found that proper nouns often behave even more irregularly than common nouns. It seems that, because, in some sense, you own your name, you are free to make your own rules for pronouncing it. The “steven” pronunciation of Stephen is probably the result of a spelling from one culture being subjected to social pressure from another. ---
**Author:** ![DrStevo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DrStevo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrStevo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-words-that-contain-ph-pronounced-as-vee-other-than-stephen/118954/24 "2002-07-19T13:59:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pulykamell \* > \*\*Hey! We may have a winner. [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) does say that “nevyoo” is a British pronunciation of “nephew”! > > Well, that’s one word at least. \*\* By George, I think he’s got it!!! Main Entry: neph·ew Pronunciation: 'ne-(")fyü, chiefly **British -(")vyü** Function: noun Etymology: Middle English nevew, from Old French neveu, from Latin nepot-, nepos grandson, nephew; akin to Old English nefa grandson, nephew, Sanskrit napAt grandson Date: 14th century 1 a : a son of one’s brother or sister or of one’s brother-in-law or sister-in-law b : an illegitimate son of an ecclesiastic 2 : obsolete : a lineal descendant; especially : GRANDSON [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/other-words-that-contain-ph-pronounced-as-vee-other-than-stephen/118954.md?page=1)