# People of various sorts who share the exact same last name, but pronounce it differently **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 25, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657 "2010-05-25T02:04:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/41 "2010-05-26T09:19:30Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > There’s a person we at work know whose last name is “Menzies”. I read his name off a sheet as “Men-ish”, which led to a lot of blank stares. Here in the US it’s pronounced as it sounds (Men-zees), but in Scotland, it’s pronounced “Men-ish”, as in Menzies Campbell, the LibDem politician. I think you mean “[Mingis](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4595228.stm)”, which is how Campbell pronounces his name (usually shortened to “Ming”). ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/42 "2010-05-26T09:44:00Z")
My surname is _Potiki_. It’s Maori, as I am from New Zealand, and has Pacific Island-type vowel pronunciation. But when I was young, Maori pronunciation wasn’t common or encouraged so we heard probably five or six different pronunciations from other people, including from ourselves. Then during the 80s there was a shift in cultural respect towards the Maori language, and we started to hear it pronounced accurately. We didn’t change our way, though. It kind of looks East European, like “Pataki”, and here in Australia they pronounce it with the emphasis on the wrong syllables which I really don’t like, but as I’m one of the worst offenders for wrong pronunciation, I don’t correct anybody. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/43 "2010-05-26T10:50:45Z")
We need to get \*\*pkbites \*\*in on this discussion:D ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/44 "2010-05-26T10:59:33Z")
My first name is often pronounced with the accent on the last syllable, not the first. And there are occasionally people who can convert it into one syllable. I generally don’t correct anyone, but one guy likes to call me a completely different name that just starts with the first 5 letters. Mostly because I told him how everyone messes up my name. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/45 "2010-05-26T18:11:40Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I think you mean “[Mingis](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4595228.stm)”, which is how Campbell pronounces his name (usually shortened to “Ming”). Is he merciless? ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/46 "2010-05-26T20:05:23Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > One of my old housemates from university has the surname “Bak” (actually, two of them do now, as they got married!). > > They pronounce it “Back”, but it’s the same Polish name as [this fellow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacek_B%C4%85k), so I now make a point of calling them “Mr and Mrs Bonk”. There’s also a hockey player called [Radek Bonk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radek_Bonk). I wonder if it’s the same name, except written the Czech way? And for that matter, why does the word “Czech” look like it’s written in Polish? ---
**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:** [May 26, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/47 "2010-05-26T21:02:42Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I met someone recently whose last name is McLeay, and to my surprise he says "Muh-clay, rather than Mick-Lay - the few people I’ve met before with the last name have said the latter I believe that “mick” is largely an American pronuncation. > [@](#): > > Does anyone know if it’s an Irish or Scottish surname, though? Maybe it’s both, which would account for the difference. When it comes to Mac/Mc/M’ names, I don’t think there’s any meaningful way to distinguish between Irish and Scottish. > [@congodwarf](#): > > I worked with two Desmaris’. Nitpick: If the name is Demaris, then they are two Desmarises. An apostrophe does not indicate plural. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/48 "2010-05-26T21:22:16Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Nitpick: If the name is Demaris, then they are two Desmarises. An apostrophe does not indicate plural. I knew I was going to get something wrong there. I was so focused on trying to remember how to spell the same that I didn’t even notice the apostrophe. I even have the rules of apostrophe use in my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/49 "2010-05-26T22:55:25Z")
I have never really gotten the whole uptight about the name thing. I didn’t choose the damn thing, but it works well enough for identification and has nothing bad about it. But I couldn’t care less how you pronounce it. It’s German and the combination of letters can be stressed and pronounced and broken up at least 6 totally different ways(more if you actually want to go official German or even French), but they all are pretty clearly meaning me. I don’t even care enough to say it consistently myself. I am constantly getting yelled at from people when I am asked what my whole name and I tell them, someone else will complain I told them something different, and they have been careful to always use that. 😉 Then of course the inevitable “but how do you _really_ pronounce it” grilling. People just won’t believe me that I don’t give a shit, and no one in my family has ever really cared and we all say whatever happens to come out then, and there is no real way. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/50 "2010-05-27T18:44:37Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > A branch of my family has the last name Koppel. Instead of pronouncing it like the reporter Ted Koppel does, they pronounce it “koh- PELL” with the stress on the second syllable. That’s how actor Bernie Kopell, most famous for being on “The Love Boat” pronounces his last name (koh-PELL). ---
**Author:** ![JollyGoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dec6dc/32.png) [@JollyGoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JollyGoon)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2010, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/51 "2010-05-29T11:07:55Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Is he merciless? Heheh… Me likey.. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/52 "2010-05-29T17:33:44Z")
Some examples from baseball and beyond: Dodgers relief pitcher Eric Gagne (Gahn-yay), Twins infielder Greg Gagne (GAG-ney) Dodgers infielder Jim Lefebvre (luh-FEE-ver), Phillies outfielder Joe Lefebvre (luh-FAY) Braves pitcher Ricky Mahler (MAY-ler), composer Gustav Mahler (MAH-ler) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/53 "2010-05-29T23:09:06Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > composer Gustav Mahler (MAH-ler) Best first baseman in the League. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/54 "2010-05-30T02:11:59Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Some examples from baseball and beyond: > > Dodgers relief pitcher Eric Gagne (Gahn-yay), Twins infielder Greg Gagne (GAG-ney) Also AWA promoter/wrestler Verne Gagne (Gahn-yah) and his son AWA wrestler Greg Gagne (also Gahn-yah, dur) ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/55 "2010-05-30T04:01:38Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > It’s very amusing for me to hear what you’ve done to all the French names in the U.S. Well, please don’t read the following because it’ll drive you to drink. I had occasion to say the last name of a girl I went to college with–Jacques. I pronounced it “Zhock,” you know, like Jacques Cousteau. How else would you pronounce it? Well, she snapped “It’s Jack-ways!” I said “huh?” She said “It’s Jack-ways, just like it looks!” I wanted to say “Well, it looks like ‘Zhock’ to me,” but I didn’t. Look, I have no issue with pronouncing French names all American-ish, but that was ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/56 "2010-05-30T05:11:00Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Well, please don’t read the following because it’ll drive you to drink. > > I had occasion to say the last name of a girl I went to college with–Jacques. I pronounced it “Zhock,” you know, like Jacques Cousteau. How else would you pronounce it? > > Well, she snapped “It’s Jack-ways!” I said “huh?” She said “It’s Jack-ways, just like it looks!” I know someone who pronounced this last name like Jacques Cousteau _but_ would also answer to “Jacks” because so many people were inclined to say it that way that he gave up correcting them. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/57 "2010-05-30T06:11:39Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Some examples from baseball and beyond: > Dodgers infielder Jim Lefebvre (luh-FEE-ver), Phillies outfielder Joe Lefebvre (luh-FAY) Another baseballer was Bill LeFebvre – pronounced Luh FAVE.) As for Jacques, I know people who pronounce it Jakes. I know two brothers named Beaulieu. One is roughly ‘bully-oh’ the other ‘bay-loo’ ---
**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:** [May 30, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/58 "2010-05-30T13:45:32Z")
I once met a Beaulieu who pronounced it bool-YAY. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/59 "2010-05-30T19:50:08Z")
My daughter’s 4-H Club had a family in it whose name was pronounced like Fontaine, but spelled Fountain. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657/60 "2010-05-30T19:55:36Z")
I wonder if there are any people with [this guy’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Cockburn) last name who pronounce it as it’s spelled. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-of-various-sorts-who-share-the-exact-same-last-name-but-pronounce-it-differently/540657.md?page=4)