# The name "Graham": How do you pronounce it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 5, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854 "2015-02-05T01:13:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/41 "2015-02-05T15:02:38Z")
Hmmm. It’s tough to type. When I say it there are not quite two full syllables, but the second “a” is there. The Virginia accent helps it out. It’s like saying “Grey” and then using an “m” to close your mouth. It’s not quite “grame” though either its more like a “Gray-um” where the “u” is silent. OK, I give up, there’s just no way to type it. ---
**Author:** ![hyperspaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@hyperspaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyperspaz)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/42 "2015-02-05T15:08:55Z")
Don’t think this has been mentioned, but in the Southern US, some words pronounced as one syllable by Northerners tend to be strung out into two syllables. One quick example: HAIR, pronounced as _hare_ by me, but _hay-ur_ by my cousins from Southern VA. Maybe the confusion here is along those lines: (Northern) Gram (Southern) Gray-um And both think they’re saying the word the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/43 "2015-02-05T15:23:25Z")
I’m from the south of England, Graham is one of my family names from the Scottish side - we say Grayum. ---
**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:** [February 5, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/44 "2015-02-05T15:28:59Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I pronounce the crackers “gray-um” but the name “gram”. Go figure! > > But the “gray” is not quite like the color. The “a” is softer, but not like the “a” in “at”. About inbetween the two pronunciations. I was going to ETA to say something like this. Sometimes it’s an “ay,” but sometimes it’s an “ae.” Or somewhere in between. But always with a schwa following. ---
**Author:** ![CGav8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@CGav8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CGav8r)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/45 "2015-02-05T15:34:24Z")
> [@WreckingCrew](#): > > My son is Graham, pronounced gram. As was the **sir name** of his Scottish ancestors. > > I am already teaching him to pick up women in bars by saying he is the heir to the cracker fortune. Were many Scotsmen knighted, way back when? ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/46 "2015-02-05T16:08:31Z")
Gray-im here, also. Both the name and the cracker. I can thank, or blame, my Scotland-born grandfather for that one. I also tend to say say-er-gent for the military rank after hearing all his stories about being a say-er-gent in the army. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/47 "2015-02-05T17:24:36Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Later, I asked her. She, being under my love spell, said “It doesn’t matter. However you want.” Oh, for the Love of Pete, Kiss Her & let us get some sleep…! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/48 "2015-02-05T17:54:36Z")
“Gram” is what I call the cracker. I pronounce the name however the owner prefers - gram, gray ham, gray um, featheringstone on bonham, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/49 "2015-02-05T19:47:26Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > His Scottish ancestors would have pronounced it with two syllables. His off the boat ancestors didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/50 "2015-02-05T22:33:51Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > **Surprised there’s just the 2 options mentioned so far**. It’s definitely not “gram” , but certainly not “gray-um” either. The correct answer is “gra-um” (short A as in grass, not long A as in gray) it sounds awfully close to “gram” but with a very slight pause in the middle bolding added see post #21 ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/51 "2015-02-05T22:59:51Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > I’ve heard it pronounced “gram”. There may be a slight aspiration within the vowel of an almost silent “h”, making it slighty two syllables. So I’ve been sitting here thinking “Gray-yam. Gram. Gra-ham. Grayum.” It’s my son’s name and I should really know how i pronounce it. I think **GreenElf** comes closest to how I do. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/52 "2015-02-05T23:30:26Z")
Well, I asked the Kiwi to confirm, and he confirms he pronounces his name “gram” and that it’s common where he’s from. However, he does spell it Graeme, so maybe there’s the difference? ---
**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:** [February 6, 2015, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/53 "2015-02-06T01:18:33Z")
It’s sorta two syllables (more like a diphthong), but so is every other time I put the /æ/ sound in front of /m/ or /n/. Graham is [gɹeəm], just like man is [meən]. It’s just the basic vowel tensing towards nasals that happens in a lot of dialects, not anything to do with the spelling. Southerners tend to add the y sound [ejə], which makes it sound even more like two syllables. (Think the accent by Forrest Gump.) If I didn’t know about it, I’d think I was saying [gɹæm], because I do pronounce it exactly the same way as the word “gram.” The only slight difference might be in elongating the vowel, which, of course, makes it seem more like two syllables. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/54 "2015-02-07T03:01:34Z")
When I was a kid (and probably now, too, I suppose), a lot of people thought I was from another country. If I pronounced “Graham” any other way than “Gram,” they would definitely think I’m not A Murrican. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/55 "2015-02-07T03:28:14Z")
I think if I run into someone with this name, I’ll stick with “Hey, you.” ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/56 "2015-02-07T05:34:55Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It’s sorta two syllables (more like a diphthong), but so is every other time I put the /æ/ sound in front of /m/ or /n/. Graham is [gɹeəm], just like man is [meən]. That does not seem to happen around here, we tend to drop our vowels right straight into the n’s and m’s that follow them. However, I think there often is the effect you describe happening to Ls that follow some vowel sounds. Words like “pale”, “feel”, “sail” and “cruel” are about one and a third syllables long, with an upward or downward glide into the L. It depends on the vowel, though, “bell”, “wool” or “mall” are single-syllable. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/57 "2015-02-07T06:30:53Z")
I think I pronounce “Graham” different ways and inconsistently. Gra-am Gray-am Gram Gr_aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam_ Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/58 "2015-02-07T06:39:04Z")
I pronounce it ‘gram’. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2015, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/59 "2015-02-07T09:10:23Z")
Gram. Michigan and Illinois. And it was “Graham as in Graham Crackers”, except they don’t have Graham Crackers here, except in the [American Shop](http://www.usafoods.com.au/) ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854/60 "2015-02-08T11:58:43Z")
Brit here (with a Mother from Scotland, as that is apparently important). This thread is the very first time in my life that I have heard of a ‘Gram’ pronunciation. If I think really hard about Scottish pronunciation, I can see that it sounds like the syllable divide isn’t as pronounced as in many English accents, but it is most definitely still there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-name-graham-how-do-you-pronounce-it/711854.md?page=4)