# The woman who mispronounced her own name **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261 "2010-06-15T04:33:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/21 "2010-06-15T19:00:34Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Only when it’s pronounced rack-is-em. I thought it was pronounced “rass-ism”. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/22 "2010-06-15T20:16:49Z")
Only by the French. ---
**Author:** ![QuercusMax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8baadc/32.png) [@QuercusMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuercusMax)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/23 "2010-06-15T22:16:45Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > When reading it, I have to fight to keep from pronouncing it “Purse-a-phone” in my head. > > Same with Penelope, which really ought to rhyme with “envelope”. > > Whoever came up with that system of transliterating Greek apparently didn’t realize how often it would trigger the “silent e” rules. If they’d just standardized it as “ie” or “y” instead - Persephonie, or Penelopy - it would be much easier to pronounce correctly. > > /grump You would need to go talk to the Romans. Since Greek transliteration is just that -replacing the Greek letters with their Latin equivalents. When they came up with that scheme, I’m pretty sure there was no English language with silent Es. (which we should probably blame on the Normans) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/24 "2010-06-15T22:52:53Z")
I met a mother and daughter who had just named their new puppy Penelope, only they pronounced it PEN-el-oh-pee. They thought that’s how the name was pronounced. I told them how it was supposed to be pronounced, and they both looked at me suspiciously. I never found out if they changed the name. Maybe Prusephone’s mother couldn’t decide between Prunella or Persephone, so she merged them. Oprah would be named Orpah if her father hadn’t made a mistake. I’ll bet she’s glad he did. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/25 "2010-06-15T23:07:45Z")
> [@QuercusMax](#): > > You would need to go talk to the Romans. Since Greek transliteration is just that -replacing the Greek letters with their Latin equivalents. When they came up with that scheme, I’m pretty sure there was no English language with silent Es. (which we should probably blame on the Normans) The ancient Romans can bite my butt. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/26 "2010-06-15T23:10:48Z")
I have a friend named Petty, but whose name is pronounced “Patty.” If I recall correctly, she said her mom just wanted to make the name unique somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/27 "2010-06-15T23:17:25Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > I love casual racism, don’t you? Hey, the OP is the one that said she sounded black. Plus, I actually had a customer who was Latina named Uneeke. It’s not just the blacks… I’m sick of all people who feel the need to take a normal name or word and “make it unique” by spelling weird or adding prefixes or suffixes. Whites are just as obnoxious with it. Brayleigh and Schaylah are just as annoying. Persephone is a great name. Unique is a great word. But Prusefonay and Uneeke are annoying, I don’t care what race you are. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/28 "2010-06-15T23:40:56Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > It’s not just **the blacks** … LOL, oh lord. Emphasis mine. ---
**Author:** ![QuercusMax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/8baadc/32.png) [@QuercusMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuercusMax)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/29 "2010-06-15T23:42:52Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > The ancient Romans can bite my butt. ObMontyPython: [What have the Romans ever done for us?](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DExWfh6sGyso&ei=uQ8YTLusFoiY8QTS8d2_Dw&usg=AFQjCNH2S_Dussx8MuHAzbzE3SmHh9IzAA) ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/30 "2010-06-15T23:50:47Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > LOL, oh lord. Emphasis mine. Alright, so it wasn’t just me. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/31 "2010-06-16T00:04:13Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I met a mother and daughter who had just named their new puppy Penelope, only they pronounced it PEN-el-oh-pee. They thought that’s how the name was pronounced. How do you pronounce it? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/32 "2010-06-16T00:14:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > How do you pronounce it? 😕 Pen-NEL-opee. I admit, I can’t quite figure out how to say it PEN-el-opee…without sounding bizarre. [QUOTE=DiosaBellissima] LOL, oh lord. Emphasis mine. [/QUOTE] Shit just got real, son! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/33 "2010-06-16T01:10:12Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Pen-NEL-opee. I admit, I can’t quite figure out how to say it PEN-el-opee…without sounding bizarre. That’s what I’m saying - I can’t figure out how to parse the pronunciation noted above any way except the normal way. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/34 "2010-06-16T01:17:30Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Shit just got real, son! I sort of love you. Also, that’s exactly how I pronounce Penelope. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/35 "2010-06-16T01:41:38Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That’s what I’m saying - I can’t figure out how to parse the pronunciation noted above any way except the normal way. Rhymes with Kennel Opie ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/36 "2010-06-16T01:46:31Z")
Ohhhh. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/37 "2010-06-16T02:18:40Z")
Ask anyone named Llyod. Everyone delights in calling a person named Llyod La-Loyd That said, I knew a girl named Brian. Yes, that is how it was spelled. She said “It’s pronounced Bree-Ann.” Nice girl but I felt like saying, “You can pronounce it anyway you want but if your parents named you BRIAN and spelled it B-R-I-A-N, they named you BRY-AN.” 🙂 Then there was the girl I knew in school in the 70s who was named An-Tiffany spelled Antifanny. She got a lot of Anti-Fanny jokes ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/38 "2010-06-16T02:28:51Z")
Then there is, of course, the Cleveland Indians baseball player named Jhonny Peralta. Pronounced just like “Johnny,” but you’ll often hear fans in the stands yelling “Juh-HAHN-ee” at him. Taking a cue from my girlfriend, I have chosen to go with the much more flattering “Jay-honey.” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/39 "2010-06-16T03:09:10Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Ask anyone named Llyod. Everyone delights in calling a person named Llyod La-Loyd What about people named Lloyd? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261/40 "2010-06-16T04:40:26Z")
About 10-15 years ago there was a news anchor here who had trouble pronouncing his own name. He’d say his first name, then pause a little, then over-pronounce the beginning of his last name. And CNN anchor Rick Sanchez sometimes pronounces his name “SHAN-chez.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-woman-who-mispronounced-her-own-name/543261.md?page=3)